


Lux Crystallis

by Alrynnas



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-13 20:06:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 224,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4535538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alrynnas/pseuds/Alrynnas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Crystal shattered, their hope shatters with it. Now Noct and his friends must collect the shards, but they are thrown into much more than they bargained for when they set out across the land. What secrets will they find about the Crystals and The Light on their quest? Hinted Noctis/OC. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shattered

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posting this story from my fanfiction account to here. This was written back in 2010 when FFXV was FF Versus XIII, and there was even less information than there is now! It started off as a prequel to whatever Versus may have been, but best to think of it as an AU now. If there is to be any major editing, it will be of names of places (and any mistakes that may have slipped by over the years). Oh yes, their outfits in this fic are what they were back when the game was Versus XIII, since I reference their clothing a few times.  
> If you're new, I hope you enjoy. And if you've read this before, I hope you enjoy seeing it on this site now as well!

The setting sun cast its warm glow on the surrounding land. Long shadows reached out from the skyscrapers of the city, blanketing part of the ground in temporary darkness. At first glance, one would hardly think this was a place caught in a time of war...but that was exactly the case. For years, the neighbouring kingdoms had been locked in a long cold war, causing most citizens to live in fear during their daily lives. At a closer inspection, the sun-blanketed land looked dreary, as though it had seen the cold war for far too long.

Why did this war come to happen in the first place? It had risen due to the Crystals. For a time, all the kingdoms had once used the power of the Crystals, their people bathed in the protective light and living sheltered lives. Over the years, however, wars, real wars, would wage across the lands when one kingdom desired more power. What was once a peaceful continent became caught in the spiral of death and destruction that war brought. Only one thing saved them:

The kingdoms stopped using the power of the Crystals.

Some had been destroyed in battle, while others intentionally demolished. In the end, the kingdoms felt the warmth from the Crystals never again. No longer wielding the power of the Crystals, the kingdoms found other means by which to live. This change caused them to no longer have to fight each other to obtain more power.

All, at least, save for one. Living fairly isolated from the rest, one kingdom, Lucis, continued to use the power of the Crystals. To them, nothing was more important. Their Crystal gave them what they needed to sustain their lives, and, unlike the other kingdoms they only used it in defence, rarely in offence. To them, the Crystal was their guardian, forever protecting them from the harshness of the outside world.

However isolated they were, though, they could not remain so for long. With the world changing its life-style around them, the denizens of Lucis remained much as they were, continuing to live by their traditions. The other kingdoms did not like this. Some wanted the last remaining Crystal for their own people, to bring back the prosperity the Crystals gave to their kingdom, while others wanted it destroyed.

So came the cold war.

Tensions grew between the divided kingdoms, but none made a move. None wanted their dark history to repeat itself...unless it was completely necessary. Even if the kingdoms would not attack them directly, those of Lucis still had to defend themselves and their Crystal from others. Marauders from the various kingdoms would often infiltrate in and try to take the Crystal or destroy it. Protected by a line of kings, their Crystal continued to remain safe...for the time being.

Sitting atop a boulder, a young man watched the sun set across the sombre land. Out here, on the edge of his city, he could find at least some small sliver of relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of the city and his duties. Along with bringing life to their kingdom, the Crystal's powers could also be used by special individuals. More often than not, these people were part of the royal bloodline, but now and then, commoners proved to receive this special gift as well—the Crystal did not care if one was “royal” or not. Noctis was of the former who could use the Crystal's power. Tossing a few pebbles in his hand, Noctis chucked them out to see how far he could throw them as he watched the sun slip past the horizon.

Noctis Lucis Caelum. He was the last heir to the Caelum Dynasty, the family that ruled over Lucis. Gifted with the greatest amount of power from the Crystal his people had seen in generations, he was charged with protecting their eternal guardian. He was not the only one, however. All those that wielded the power of the Crystal, along with even more who could not, were to protect it. The Crystal had to remain safe, no matter what. Without it, their way of life would collapse around them.

A cool breeze blew past as Noctis looked up to the darkening sky. The first few stars that hung in the night sky began to shimmer into existence. His dark clothing began to fade into his surroundings as the rays of light could no longer reach over the horizon. Out here, he could forget the sorrows of their world and his people...at least for a time.

Something made a light snap behind him, drawing Noctis from his thoughts. Despite growing tense, the Prince remained still, giving no hint that he knew someone, or some _thing_ , was behind him. The only part of him that moved was his eye that twitched slightly as he sent a thought out. One single command, that was all it took before...

“Okay, okay! You got me!” called out a voice from behind. “Noct! Put your damn weapons away already!” Sighing in amusement, Noctis kept his back facing to the person while he allowed the weapons to ease up slightly. “Showoff...” grumbled the person.

“Well, at least you set a new record this time!” laughed out a new voice, this one deeper. Jumping up from where he sat, Prince Noctis turned to greet the people that had found him out here. A man stood by a car that had stopped on the side of the road while two more were heading to where Noctis had been. A light smile crossed his face; he knew who these three men were well enough.

“You'll never reach him no matter how hard you try. You know that, right, Prompto?” called out the person from the car as he pushed up his glasses.

“Oh, you be quiet, Ignis. You don't even try!” shouted back the blond who had all of Noctis' weapons hovering around him.

Crossing his arms, Ignis sighed. “I just don't know why you try too, Gladiolus. It's simply futile.”

The tallest of them there let out a hearty laugh, the scar on his face stretching with his skin. “Maybe so, but I just like to think of it as practice for Noct.” Gladiolus looked back to the Prince who was heading over to where they stood. “Gotta keep your skills form getting rusty.”

Noctis chuckled lightly at his three friends. It was a small game they liked to play on him: seeing how close one could get before Noctis noticed their presence. They never got really far before...well, Prompto was proof of the final result of the “game”. This was the power that Noctis controlled thanks to the Crystal. With his telekinetic powers, had nearly a whole arsenal of weapons at his disposal. All it took was one thought from him before they sprung into action.

“Yeah, great, we know he's not getting rusty. Can we end the demonstration now?” pleaded Prompto. Noctis could not help but smirk in victory. As quickly as they had appeared around his friend, the weapons disappeared from sight, the few tendrils of light and crystal shards that hung behind in the air being the only indication that they had been there in the first place. Only once the weapons were gone did Prompto breathe a sigh of relief.

“You really do like coming out here too much,” commented Gladiolus once Noctis neared them. “What is it about this place?”

“I just like the view,” shrugged Noctis. He glanced up to the night sky. Away from the city, this was one of the few places where more than a couple stars could be seen at night. That was his main reason for coming out here so often, but he did not let his friends know that. “What are you guys doing out here anyway?”

“On our way back from one of the other towns. Prompto begged us to help him in this street match.”

Noctis nodded in understanding. Together, the four of them were the best of friends. He did not often talk about it, but Noctis was glad he had them. They helped bring some joy and excitement into his otherwise tedious, routine-filled, almost-dull life. Gladiolus, his friend with the scar, was of the City Guard. Though a military man, and from a military family, he was not like the other cold-hearted soldiers that were so uptight and tense during this cold war. Ignis, the young man with glasses, worked for the royal family. As such, he got to spend the most time with Noctis during normal work days. One could always count on him to make level-headed judgements on matters. Lastly, Prompto, the spunky blond, was Noctis' childhood friend. Working his way up to become an athlete, he was always good for a laugh. Noctis did not want to even being to think of what his life would have been like without knowing them.

“Ready to head back to the capitol?” asked Ignis. “Your shift to guard the Crystal starts soon, right?” Noctis merely nodded in response.

“Shotgun!” shouted out Prompto as he hurried forward to the car.

“Ah! Not so fast there, buddy,” countered Gladiolus as he pulled Prompto into a headlock. Noctis covered his mouth to stifle a laugh while Ignis merely shook his head. “You _always_ get to ride in the front. How 'bout giving someone else a turn?” Prompto continued to struggle against Gladiolus' hold on him. Muffled yells in protest could be heard from the blond. Faster than previous times, Prompto managed to pull himself out of the headlock, gasping for air as he rubbed his neck.

“Not my fault you don't call out shotgun before me!” coughed out Prompto. “Man! When was the last time you _showered_?”

“Take another whiff and find out!” grinned Gladiolus as he tried to pull Prompto into another headlock, but this time the blond was too fast for him. Laughing to himself, Noctis watched as Gladiolus proceeded to chase Prompto down. The Prince took a seat in the back, not wanting to get involved with the matter of who got to sit in the front.

“Either get in the car, guys, or you two are walking back. Then you can enjoy all the time you want chasing after one another,” commented Ignis as he slid into the driver's seat.

“Safe!” cheered out Prompto as he hurried into the front passenger's seat before Gladiolus caught him.

“Wuss. Bah, let's get going,” sighed out Gladiolus gruffly as he took the seat next to Noctis. Once they were all settled, Ignis started up the car and pulled back onto the solitary road.

“So, Lucis' Millennial is next week, you guys excited?” asked Prompto with a grin.

“Oh joy, I get to deal with the security that's being set up for the night,” sighed Gladiolus.

“Preparations for it are quite the workload,” commented Ignis.

“I just don't want to deal with all the people...” murmured Noctis as he propped his elbow on the door.

“Yeah, but think of how all the girls will look!” laughed Prompto with a sly grin. “I don't care about the dignitaries that come for the sake of saving face, I just want to have some fun.” While he may have glanced over the matter, the others knew he was right about the dignitaries. For Lucis' Millennial, representatives from the other kingdoms would be coming. It would be a night of politicians lying through their teeth and acting as though the cold war was not even taking place. They were only coming to keep up appearances, after all. To not, well, some would take that as an act of aggression and the cold war could turn into a very real war.

“That's all you _ever_ do,” huffed Gladiolus. “Seriously, when do you work?”

“Hey, I'll have you know that my training is very serious!”

Noctis grinned slightly as the two friends bantered on. Despite all the arguments they may have, he knew it would take a lot more than that to stop them from being buddies. Noctis stared out the window, blocking out the quibbling that filled the car. Up ahead loomed the capitol city of Lucis. Lights from all the buildings glowed in the night, blocking out more and more of the stars the closer they got.

A wince flashed across Noctis' face as pain suddenly spiked up in his head. Placing a hand to his temple, he tried to rub away the pain like one would a headache. As fast as it rose up, the pain subsided. He glanced over to see if any of his friends had noticed. With Gladiolus and Prompto still teasing each other, and Ignis focused on the road, none of them there had noticed the Prince's moment of discomfort. A soft sigh escaped him in relief. He would not want his friends questioning him over something so triv—

“Unngh!” cried out Noctis as the pain returned, this time worse by tenfold.

“Noct, you okay?” asked Ignis as he spared a glance in the rear-view mirror. Gripping his head, Noctis tried to respond, but the pain was keeping him from doing so. It felt as though someone was splitting his skull open with a searing-hot weapon.

“What's wrong, Noctis?” questioned Gladiolus. Ignis began to slow the car down so they could see just what was wrong with the Prince.

“No!” gasped out Noctis through the pain. “Don't...! Hurry up! Get back to to the city!”

“What's going on?” asked Prompto as he turned around in his seat to get a better look.

The pain lessened, but it did not go away. Now that it was no longer giving him a splitting headache, the Prince could tell that there had been something more to that pain spike. Something like...a cry for help. “The Crystal,” he whispered out through ragged breaths. “Something's threatening the Crystal!”

“Impossible!” barked out Gladiolus.

“At a time like this?” pondered Prompto.

“Don't ask for details, just _go_!” ordered Noctis. Without being needed to be told twice, Ignis put his foot down on the accelerator and the car sped off for the towering buildings. Noctis only feared that it might not be fast enough.

“Just what happened?” asked Gladiolus while Noctis tried to rub the pain away.

“I don't know...” he winced. “When the Crystal feels threatened, often those connected to it feel some sort of pain, minute pangs, normally. It may vary in strength from person to person, but I've never felt anything this bad!” he explained through clenched teeth. “Whatever's going on, the Crystal must feel extremely threatened.”

The Crystal was no ordinary crystal. It was not just some lump of carbon that had been through intense amounts of pressure. Even after all these years, no one could quite explain it. The Crystal was _alive_ somehow. Sometimes, it even seemed to have grown its own consciousness. At least, that was what some believed. Over time, the denizens of Lucis, and those of other kingdoms, forgot about the life of the Crystals, using them as nothing more than power sources. But those who studied, or those who could use the power of the Crystal, like Noctis, knew there was much more to the Crystals than most believed.

“Destruction or capture. Any bets?” offered Prompto as they raced through the multi-lane highways, slipping past the many cars and other vehicles . What had seemed like a calm night for the city proved to be quite wrong once they entered. Sirens wailed and people seemed panicked as they rushed through the streets.

“Not now!” scolded Ignis. If their Crystal was truly in such great danger, it was hardly any time to be making such bets. “Noct!” he suddenly shouted as the Prince opened his door while the car was still racing along.

“What are you _doing_?!” yelled out Gladiolus in surprise. Reaching out, the City Guard grabbed Noctis by his coat.

“Getting to the Crystal faster!” he huffed back, trying to wave Gladiolus off of him. “It'll take too long to drive through the streets! You guys help with the reinforcements, but I must do what I can _now_!” His scarred friend let out a reluctant sigh before letting go.

“Make sure to leave some fun for the rest of us!” called out Prompto over the noise of the wind whistling past the open door.

“No promises!” grinned Noctis before he jumped out of the vehicle. As he rolled to take the impact of his landing, the car was already gone from sight around a curve in the highway. Rushing forward, Noctis ran as fast as he could towards the origin of the distress. Their Crystal lay at the heart of the city. While it was actually not that far away, driving would have taken too long for Noctis' tastes since there was no direct road to the Crystal's Temple. Gripping onto the railing, the Prince leaped over it and hurled towards the ground below.

The telekinesis he got from the Crystal's power not only made him able to control weapons with his mind, but he could do other things as well. Just mere feet above the pavement on the next level of the highway, Noctis utilized his power. One second he was falling to the ground, the next he appeared yards away, sprinting towards the other side of that highway after a flash of light.

Teleportation was also under his control. It was not all-powerful, as some believed. To be able to teleport somewhere, he had to be able to see it. On top of that, the range of this ability was limited. Even with those restrictions upon it, being able to teleport certainly did have its advantages as he proved again and again while racing towards the Crystal's Temple.

Panting hard, Noctis finally had the Temple in his sights. He came to a near-skidding halt as he stared at the scene before him. While it must not have been a large group to be able to make it in this far, the marauders had been able to establish a foothold at the base of the Temple. Noctis cursed under his breath as he saw his citizens fall before his very eyes. As much as he would have wanted to help them first, the protection of their Crystal was more important. All of them there knew that.

With a thought, he vanished from where he stood and quickly felt himself falling towards the ground. Holding out a hand, he gripped the spear that materialized before him and jammed it into the side of the Temple. From there he stood and stared up the wall. Having the Crystal rest on the top floor was certainly aesthetically pleasing, but for times like this... Perhaps it was time to build a new Temple for the Crystal.

The top floor now in range from where he stood, Noctis teleported himself up and broke through a window before he fell back down. Buildings could be rebuilt. Windows could be re-paned. People...yes, even people could be replaced over time. Their Crystal...it was the only one like it left. No matter what, it had to survive.

Noctis moved so fast it was almost like he was moving on pure instinct, shards of glass falling off of him as he ran. The Prince allowed himself only a moment of relief when he saw the glow of the Crystal up ahead. At least it was still there. However, the pain that still gave him a headache reminded him that the danger was far from over.

His stomach suddenly churned in discomfort when he saw the bodies lying dead on the ground. It was not so much that they were dead that upset him, he had seen his share of death in his life already, it was the fact they were the other Protectors of the Crystal. Like Noctis, they could wield some form of the Crystal's power, yet they had been bested. At least now he knew why the Crystal was in such distress.

“How nice of you to join us, Prince Noctis,” greeted a man who was standing closer to the Crystal. His gaze moving over to the Prince, the cloaked man tossed a body of another Protector to the side. “I was beginning to wonder if you would be rushing to the aid of your precious _Crystal_.” The man spat the word as though even saying it was like poison. Noctis studied the man for a moment. In the lighting created by the Crystal, and with how much the cloak hid any distinguishable features of the man, Noctis could not tell who it was.

“You have gone too far,” began Noctis, his voice surprisingly calm despite the current situation. “There will be no escape for you!”

The man let out a cold laugh. “If that is the case, then so be it. But with me shall fall this wretched thing. The Crystal Age is long gone, young Prince! It is time you people change...or die with it.” Without warning, the cloaked man raised his hand and shot a spell at Noctis.

Caught off guard, the Prince could do nothing. The spell hit him dead on and shot him flying back towards one of the pillars. His body ached with pain from the attack. That spell...it was unlike any other he had gone up against. Where could this man have learned such a spell? But now was not the time for such thoughts. Pulling himself back up, Noctis' eyes changed from their normal blue to a blood-red. Such was the effect of him using all the power of the Crystal he had at his control.

Not wasting another second, Noctis had all the weapons at his disposal appear around the cloaked man. While any other person facing such an attack would have been skewered withing the second, the cloaked man still stood, unharmed. It looked as though the weapons had been stopped at the edge of some protective spell that encompassed the man.

“So foolish,” taunted the cloaked figure. With a wave of his hand, Noctis felt himself sent flying across the room after being hit by another powerful spell. As he skidded across the floor, he suddenly came to a stop. Head pounding in pain from both the attacks and the cries of help from the Crystal, Noctis tried to pull himself up...but he could not. He cursed under his breath when he saw the binding spells cast by the man that held the Prince in place. “Witness...the end of what you people blindly believe in.”

“Stop!” shouted out Noctis, his eyes reverting back to their normal blue. As much as he tried, he could do nothing. The pain in his head rose to such extremes as the man neared the Crystal that Noctis could not even use his abilities. Never before had he felt so...helpless. He watched as the man held his hand out to the Crystal, a look of twisted glee on his face. The closer the cloaked man got to the Crystal, the more frantically it began to pulse.

“What? _NO_!” roared out the cloaked man as he suddenly recoiled from the Crystal. It began to glow brighter and brighter. With it, Noctis felt the pain in his head rising. Closing his eyes from the brightness, it took all of his strength to keep from crying out in pain.

_Crack!_

The Prince winced as though it had been all of his bones breaking at once. But...he was still whole. The breaking had come from somewhere else. Tentatively, Noctis opened an eye a fraction. The glow from the Crystal had died down enough for him to be able to see what was going on. A quiet gasp escaped him when he realized what it was that had cracked.

Before his very eyes, the Crystal that sustained his home and their entire way of life began to shatter. Originating in its core, the cracks spread out through the entirety of the Crystal. Horror struck Noctis like never before in his life. How...how could this be happening? _What_ was happening? Judging by what the man had said earlier, not even he was expecting this. A final _crack_ rang through the air and then...all was silent.

Noctis suddenly cried out as the pain returned worse than ever. The pain splitting through his head had to be related to what was happening to the Crystal, for in the next moment, it completely shattered. Breaking free of its containment, the shards of the Crystal went flying off, moving so fast they looked more like comets. They broke through the walls of the Temple, going off to who-knew-where.

The cloaked man swore loudly as he slammed his fists against the ground. “What did you do?!” he demanded, focusing his attention back on Noctis. “Where did the Crystal Shards go?” Rising up, the cloaked man headed towards the Prince. “Tell me, and I may yet give you a quick death.”

Noctis could only let out a raspy breath. Whatever had happened...it left him feeling as though a hole had been ripped through his chest. Barely able to turn his head, the Prince saw one of his weapons lying on the ground not too far away. Holding out his hand, he willed it to return to him...but it remained where it was. It had been a long time since he felt such fear. His powers...his abilities... Concentrating harder, he tried again to make the sword move. Try as he might, the weapon remained completely still.

As the footsteps neared him, Noctis quickly looked up. The cloaked man loomed over him, only now could his face be seen. Dark hair framed his face, and his eyes... His eyes were so dark, Noctis believed them to be like bottomless pits. “Where did the Crystal Shards go?” he asked the Prince once again. Pursing his lips together, Noctis said not a word. “So be it...” Holding his arm out, the man readied a spell. This one would finish the Prince off.

_Bang!_

The cloaked man cried out in surprise as shotgun rounds tore through his arm. “I've had enough of this,” he hissed out before disappearing into what seemed like a portal of darkness.

“Noct!” called out Ignis. Multiple footsteps rushed towards where Noctis lay.

“Who the hell _was_ that?!” questioned Prompto while Gladiolus helped the Prince up to a sitting position. Supporting most of his weight on his arms, Noctis shook uncontrollably.

“Just what went on here, Noct?” asked their scarred friend.

“I can't... The Crystal... That man...” said Noctis between each breath he took. His mind was racing like crazy, unable to process what had just happened.

“Calm down, Noct,” reassured Prompto. “Wait until you can complete your sentences before trying to explain.”

“You're safe now. Relax, and tell us when you can,” murmured Gladiolus.

“Whatever happened, I assume it has something to do with this,” commented Ignis. After pushing up his glasses, he pointed to where their Crystal once rested.

“No way...”

“It can't be!”

“It probably had to deal with that light from earlier,” sighed Ignis. While his friends stared in shock at the absent Crystal, Noctis held out his hand towards the sword that remained on the ground. He concentrated so hard that he caused more pain to himself before he finally gave up.

“My powers...they're gone...” he breathed, not wanting to believe his own words. Dead silence fell between the friends as they looked down to the Prince.

“You mean...you can no longer use the abilities the Crystal gave you...?” whispered Prompto.

Noctis buried his face in his hand and remained silent. The feeling of the hole in his chest sank deeper. He never realized just how much the Crystal's strength had been a part of him. Without it...he felt incomplete as a person.

He felt _useless_.

“The Crystal shattered when that man tried to take it...” he managed to explain after he collected himself, his voice still shaking. They had to figure out what to do next as quickly as possible. A full recovery from this would have to wait. “The pieces shot off... Perhaps it was...some self-defence we didn't know it had.” Grunting, the Prince managed to rise up.

“So the shards of the Crystal are out there...somewhere?” pondered Ignis.

“They just have to be!” exclaimed Prompto.

“What are we gonna do now?” questioned Gladiolus.

“We...we have to get those shards back...somehow,” answered Noctis.

His three friends stared at him, each wearing a different expression to show how concerned they all were. “How?” they asked in one voice.

The Prince looked up at them before slowly shaking his head. “I...don't know...”

 


	2. White

Grand doors opened before the Prince. He always got such a foreboding feeling whenever he entered this part of his home. As much as he did not like it, Noctis knew he was going to have to get adjusted to it sooner or later. Before him was the Council Room where the politics of his home took place. With his father still in rule, Noctis did not have to deal with this room too often. But that, he knew, would change in time. Feeling slightly numb due to the recent events, Noctis walked forward through the cold room, his footsteps echoing loudly and causing him to feel alone.

The room was grandly designed. Marble floors were slick, smooth, and kept in an incredibly clean state. One's reflection could even be seen on its surface. Walls of onyx rose up, giving the room a very grayscale look. Statues of angels stood atop pillars, each holding up trees of crystal-like candles. Dark tapestries hung down from the ceiling, each one falling above statues of solemn maidens made of marble. A large arched window at the far end of the room allowed any light from outside to stream in (which was minimal during the night), showing just how vast the Council Room really was. A dark chandelier hung down above a large meeting table. Ten men in dark suits sat evenly on the sides, with an eleventh seated at the head of the table.

When Noctis stopped at the foot of the table, all eyes fell onto him. He grew uncomfortable under all their gazes. It felt more as though they wanted to place the blame of what happened on him. Pushing away any apprehension he felt, Noctis stood tall and looked down to the man that sat at the head of the table. Out of the eleven men there, he was the only one who had not looked up at the Prince.

What felt like hours of silence passed when in reality, it was only seconds. The man at the head of the table, Regis Caelum, Noctis' father, slowly looked up. Steepling his fingers, Regis peered at his son. “Tell us exactly what you saw happen to the Crystal, Prince Noctis,” he instructed, his voice solemn and holding little to no emotion in it. By his tone, Noctis knew his father was angered. Where that anger was directed at, he could not say.

Noctis could not help but swallow nervously. It was one thing to explain to his friends, it was another matter having to explain to the Council and his father all of whom would be judging what he had done. Part of him could not wait until he was the one ruling over Lucis, being the one to make the decisions rather than being bound by them, yet another part also dreaded it. Keeping his voice steady, Noctis recounted the events that transpired for him earlier that night.

The Councilmen shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the report progressed. Only Noctis' father remained steadfast. Once finished, he held his gaze with Regis until one of the other Councilmen finally spoke up.

“What are we to do?” murmured a bald man.

“Is the Crystal destroyed?” asked another.

“No,” Regis commented gruffly. “There are such tales and legends dating back to the Crystal Age that speak of this.” Closing his eye in thought, the King of Lucis rested his fingertips against his forehead. “In dire times, a Crystal would shatter and scatter its shards across the land. When this happened, they could be gathered up again and the Crystal restored...at least, that is what the legends say. Never has there been an account of a Crystal being fully restored. The shards proved either too hard to find, or they would fall into enemy hands and were destroyed.”

“Then its hopeless. Lucis is doomed!”

“Fool. Just because they couldn't restore the Crystals in the past, doesn't mean we can't do it now.”

“It'll take too long. Lucis will collapse before we could even partially restore the Crystal!”

“Then we must move now.”

The arguing between the Councilmen continued on. Noctis could only sigh as he listened to the old men complain over what to do. Stuff like this made him hope it would be a long time before he had to rule over the Council. There was nothing enjoyable about a bunch of old men having stupid arguments amongst themselves again and again. It was such a pain.

Two sides in the arguments could clearly be heard. One side wanted to try restoring their Crystal, while the other believed it to be futile to even try. With their guardian shattered, it seemed as though the hopes of many had shattered along with it. Noctis could hardly blame them. Their livelihood, the one thing that had remained constant for Lucis during the ages, was now gone. Without the Crystal, their way of life would wither. None know just how long it would take, but one thing was certain: their society would crumble.

“Prince Noctis,” called Regis. His voice strong and resounding, it forced all the Councilmen to become quiet in seconds. The King of Lucis looked at his son. “You must go out and find the Crystal Shards. Bring them back, and restore our Crystal.” Murmurs of approval and both disapproval rippled through the Councilmen at Regis' words.

Noctis sighed softly. It was not that he did not want to help he people, he just felt like he  _could_ not help his people. “But, I no longer have any abili—”

“You can still fight.” Regis swiftly cut Noctis off before the Prince could finish explaining. “Besides, with the other Protectors dead or close enough to death, you are the only one we can send out that is connected to the Crystal. Those three friends of yours may aid you on this. Prepare what's needed for you leave in the morning.”

“Collecting the shards will take too long!” protested one of the Councilmen again. “Our Millennial is next week! What if the other kingdoms find ou—”

“They will  _not_ find out about what has happened here tonight,” said Regis firmly, making the ouncilman sink down in his seat. “We shall sustain ourselves as long as we can without the Crystal, and that includes the time for our Millennial. Be glad that it is next week and not next month; who knows how fast we shall degrade. No one outside of Lucis must know what has occurred here. If they find out, there is no telling what will happen with the war state.”

“What about the cloaked man?” questioned Noctis. Surely if a leak were to occur, the man he fought would likely be the source.

“According to the few surviving marauders that were questioned, his name is Creon. We shall try to find out more about this man while you search for the shards. If he really wants our Crystal destroyed, he may very well be searching for them. Keep an eye out for this Creon while you are out there. You may go now, Noctis.” Regis dismissed his son with a wave of his hand.

“Yes, your majesty,” murmured the Prince curtly before leaving the Council Room. Such silence pressed in on his ears as he exited it was almost unbearable. It had gone better than he expected, at least. As the doors closed behind him with a resounding  _thud_ , Noctis sighed and leaned against them. He never enjoyed dealing with the Councilmen and his father together. It was not as though he hated Regis, and he was a good, if stern, leader for their people, Noctis just could never really think of him like a father. The Prince quickly shook his head. There was a more pressing crisis at hand than how he felt about his family.

Collecting the Crystal Shards... Was there really no one else that was connected to the Crystal that could aid him on this? He was glad his friends could help, but they were just not the same as having another Protector, someone else that could feel the life of the Crystal. Not to mention, he did not feel quite up to this journey. The shock of losing the Crystal...it was a little too much for him to just suddenly go off and search for the shards. With a deep sigh, Noctis stood back up and headed out to find his friends. They would at least have until morning to recover as much as they could.

“How'd it go?” asked Prompto once Noctis reached the outside. His friends had waited patiently for him while he dealt with the Council. Noctis merely gave his blond friend a look, his eyebrow rising slightly. “Ah, that well, huh?” It pleased the Prince that he did not always have to explain things for his friends to understand. It saved quite a bit of time.

“So what did those old farts decide on?” questioned Gladiolus as he slung an arm around Noctis' shoulder. “They wanna sit back and let the end come or send people to something about this?” He quickly laughed to himself as the group of them headed off into the night. “Man, that'd be a sight! Imagine what it would be like if the  _Councilmen_ got of their high horses and did something.”

“If that day ever comes, it is far, far away,” commented Ignis, smoothing down his jacket.

“Regis wants us to go and search for the Crystal Shards so that we can restore it,” answered Noctis as he weakly smiled at their remarks.

“Wait, wait.” Prompto held up his hands and quickly moved in front to stop them. “Us as in us? Or us as in  _us_ us?” The three other friends stared at him with expressions that said what-the-heck-are-you-talking-about?

Feeling that his face had scrunched up in confusion, Noctis quickly shook his head and relaxed. “ _Us_ us,” he answered once he figured out what his friend had meant. Just like there were times when they understood what one was saying without actually have to say anything, there were also times when saying stuff left them more confused than earlier. In the end, it all balanced out.

“Any idea how long it'll take to collect the shards?” asked their scarred friend. Moving out of the way, Prompto crossed his fingers and seemed to be muttering something about being back in time for their Millennial. Noctis could not help but feel a little sorry for his friend knowing what he did about the matter.

The Prince answered regretfully, “There's no clue. We have no idea how many shards there are or even  _where_ they are.” As soon as he finished, Prompto let out a loud groan.

“Not knowing how many there are, I can deal with. But how the hell are we meant to get them back if we have no idea where they scattered?”

“This is gonna be like searching for a needle in a haystack!” sighed the blond.

“Actually, searching for a needle in a haystack is quite simple. This is more like searching for a specific piece of hay in a haystack...and without knowing what that hay is like.” Ignis pushed up his glasses as he sniffed dismissively. Prompto quickly smacked a palm against his forehead at their friend's comment.

Noctis promptly cleared his throat before an argument could arise. “My father said I need to go because I'm the only one who's connected to the Crystal that  _can_ go. Maybe...maybe I'll be able to tell where the Crystal Shards are...”

“See? We have a lead! It's a  _needle_ in a haystack. Not your damn hay in a haystack,” grumbled Prompto.

“Are you able to tell where any are at the moment?” questioned their friend that wore glasses.

Noctis shook his head, placing a hand to his temple. “Everything's a mess with the Crystal gone. If I am able to sense where they are or something, I sure can't right now.”

“When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow morning. And we must be discrete if we end up travelling outside of Lucis. No one else must know our Crystal's shattered.”

“Oh, yeah, that'd be great!” groaned out Prompto. “It's like we're  _asking_ for an invasion if that happens.”

“And what of the Millennial?”

A wry smirk tugged at the corner of Noctis' lips. “It's a game of politics for those that have to worry about it. Nothing has really changed.” Sighing, the Prince returned to what he was talking about before the interruption. “Either way, if we travel outside Lucis, I think it will have to be on foot. We wouldn't want any vehicle of ours to draw attention. We can worry about getting transportation elsewhere later.”

“Oh, yes, and having the  _Prince_ of Lucis out and about won't draw aaaaaany attention whatsoever,” remarked Prompto sarcastically as he threw up his arms.

Noctis bristled slightly. That matter had crossed his mind. “It's not as though everyone knows my face, you know,” he retorted back heatedly.

The blond winced slightly as he sighed. “Seriously? We have to go on foot?”

“For a time, yes.”

“This is gonna take  _foreeeeeeever_ !”

Gladiolus clapped a hand on the blond's back, causing him to stumble forward in surprise. “Which is exactly why it's time for us to rest up for the night. When should we meet up tomorrow?”

“Sunrise...west entrance?”

“Sounds good to me. Night, guys!” Gladiolus gave a quick wave before leaving the group.

Pushing up his glasses, Ignis began to head off. “Rest well.”

Noctis looked over to his friend that still remained by his side. Smiling, Prompto patted the Prince on his shoulder. “It'll be okay. You'll see,” reassured the blond. Smiling weakly, Noctis gave a firm nod. Now was not the time for doubts. He only hoped that by the time morning came, he would be able to have some sense of where to go.

 

* * *

 

Breathing deeply, Noctis remained seated on his bed. His skin was damp from the sweat that gathered in a panic. The pre-drawn light that began to shine in through his window reassured him that the night, and his wretched dream, was over. Placing his head on his knees, Noctis tried to slow his racing heart. He could not remember the last time he had such a painful dream.

He had heard a cry for help. No...it was not so much hearing it, he  _felt_ it. Whoever it was, he could feel their need for aid. Running through the darkness, he searched for the source of the plea. In time, he found the person, at least he had thought it a person. Though shaped like a human, the figure before him was made entirely out of crystal. Even though it looked like it should not be alive, it continued to send out its voiceless plea at him.

Despite not knowing what it was, Noctis still felt like he had to help it, and so he tried to reach out to the crystal figure before the cracks that started to form spread across its surface. The closer he got to it, the faster the crystal began to shatter. When he would be mere inches away from it, the crystal broke entirely, and melted away like flakes of snow. A part of him also had felt like it shattered along with the crystal.

He would stand there, in the darkness, completely alone, completely helpless. Noctis cursed at himself for failing. It was in those moments of regret that he would feel a plea, and the dream would start again and again. No matter how many times he tried, he could not save the crystal figure before it shattered before his very eyes.

If all his dreams between now and whenever they restored the Crystal were going to be like this...then they could not move quickly enough. His heart-rate back down to normal, the Prince took several deep breaths as he remained on his bed. Concentrating, he tried one more time to call upon the power of the Crystal. But, like each time he tried after the events of last night, there was no answer.

There was, however, something else there.

Raising his head, the Prince looked out his window. “The shards...” he murmured quietly. “I can feel them.”

 

* * *

 

“So, you're certain the Crystal Shards are in that direction?” asked Prompto as he rose out of the car, his filed-down shotgun slung over his shoulder. The blond stared off towards the west and the barren land that lay beyond the end of the town.

Noctis rested his hand on the top of the door as he looked west as well. Closing his eyes, he reached out to what he believed was the resonance of a Crystal Shard. It felt like the power of the Crystal normally did, only...well, broken. “At least one is, yes.” It was an odd feeling, being able to tell where the Crystal Shard was. Like in his dream, he felt the shard calling out to him for help. The Crystal wanted to return to being whole as much as they wanted to restore it. Being broken and scattered like this was not how it was meant to be.

“That's Solheim, right? Beyond the wastes,” asked Gladiolus as he rested his wight on his axe, like it was a walking stick.

“A few days walk from here, yes,” replied Ignis.

“Are you  _sure_ we can't just take the car to just before the nearest town in there and ditch it?” groaned out Prompto.

“What, all your  _serious_ training not prepare you for a little  _hike_ ?” grinned Gladiolus.

Standing taller, Prompto seemed to puff out his chest. “I can handle the walk just fine! I just don't get why we have to leave the car here and not closer to our destination. And besides, your definition of a  _hike_ must be quite different from normal!”

“There's no telling how far inside Solheim we'll have to go,” commented Ignis before Noctis could respond. “It is best to leave it here to make sure its not accidentally spotted.”

“Whatever!” Throwing up his arms, Prompto showed he had given in. “Let's just get this over with. I'd like to return to Lucis sometime in the near future.” In silent agreement, the group of friend headed off to the west.

However long it took to get to the first Crystal Shard, they all hoped they would reach at least some sort of town within a few days. The supplies they could take with them at the moment would not last long beyond that. Whether or not the Crystal Shard would be at their first place they came across or not was anyone's guess. On top of everything already, they hoped that no one would recognize them for people of Lucis. Starting a war was not exactly something they had on their itinerary.

“Man, you know, it's rather weird seeing you have to carry your weapon like that,” commented Prompto as he glanced over to Noctis. Sure enough, the Prince had his favoured sword slung over his back. While normally it was under his control thanks to the power of the Crystal, with his abilities gone, he was forced to carrying it like a regular person.

“It  _feels_ weird,” huffed Noctis. As he walked, he tried to shift it so it would not dig into his back so uncomfortably. It had been a long time since he felt the full weight of this sword. The only thing he found relief in was that he was strong enough on his own to be able to wield it. It was not so much the fact he had to get used to using a weapon normally again, it was more of the fact he could only use the one. Being able to control multiple weapons at once created a very different fighting style than one would become accustomed to while wielding a single weapon.

“What does it feel like, anyway? Not being able to use your abilities.”

Noctis let out an annoyed sigh. “Ever have a part of you ripped out so terribly you no longer feel complete?”

“Uh... I had my appendix removed?” Deadpanning, Noctis looked over to Prompto. A nervous laugh escaped his friend. “Yeah, didn't think so...”

“I think it's safe to say that none of us can understand what Noct is going through,” remarked Ignis. Noctis could only cast his eyes to the ground. Though he did not show it, he was glad none of them could understand. This feeling...he would not wish it on anyone else.

“Is this all we're gonna talk about on the journey?” questioned Noctis, hoping the answer would be negative.

“How 'bout a game?” offered Gladiolus. The others quietly murmured phrases of agreement. Grinning, he snapped his fingers. “All right! I spy with my little eye...” Loud groans from the other three cut the City Guard off. Huffing, he placed a fist on his hip. “What? Don't see  _you_ guys trying!”

“Could you have picked anything more  _lame_ ?” laughed Prompto.

“Say that again...”

Prompto stopped walking and gave a challenging look to Gladiolus. “Could. You. Ha—”

“Ah! Let's try something else,” interrupted Noctis. As amusing as it normally was to watch Gladiolus chase an Prompto that was running for his life, now was probably not the best of times for it. There was no telling if and when they would come across fiends on their journey, and wasting energy was never a good thing.

“Well, you guys can think of something then,” grunted Gladiolus, crossing his arms.

“This is going to be a long journey,” sighed Ignis.

 

* * *

 

“At last!” cheered Prompto ecstaticly. For his outburst, he received a swift bonk on the head from Gladiolus. Wincing, their blond friend quickly tried to rub away the pain.

“Keep it down, man!” he hissed. Prompto' excitement was understandable, at least. After four days of travelling from the closest town in Lucis to the border of Solheim, they had made it to this new town. The days had been long and hot, causing Noctis to feel the most discomfort due to the clothing he wore. But, at last, here they were safely in Solheim. Night setting in, they all welcomed the end of the day.

“It's here...” murmured Noctis after he reached out toward the Crystal Shard in his mind. His friends quickly looked to him.

“You serious?” breathed Prompto in disbelief.

“If it's not in this town, then it is at least very close. I can't be more precise beyond that.”

“All right!” Making sure to be quiet in his cheer, their blond friend pumped an arm up into the air in victory. “Man, the only way we'd get more lucky tonight is if we got free rooms at an inn.”

“What do you want us to do now?” questioned Ignis.

“Split up and ask around for anything odd happening in the past few days? We'll meet up in front of the inn in an hour. If none of us find anything, then we'll try again in the morning.”

“Sounds good to me,” nodded Gladiolus. Raising a hand, he headed off into the town. “See you guys in an hour!”

“So I take it we shouldn't ask stuff like 'have you seen a shining piece of our Crystal' or something, right?” asked Prompto with an amused smirk. As soon as he saw the looks on Noctis' and Ignis' faces, he quickly clapped his hands together and turned away. “Gotcha. Inconspicuous.” With that said and done, he hurried off in another direction.

“Good luck,” muttered Ignis before he too went off to search the town.

Left on his own, Noctis blew some of his dark bangs out of his eyes before he started down one of the sparsely-lit streets. He could only hope that he would be able to tell if he was near the Crystal Shard or not. The dream he had before they started this journey still hung on the back of his mind. What if when they found a Crystal Shard, it escaped from their hold on it before they could do anything? Would this be an endless journey of them trying to restore their Crystal?

Pushing such thoughts from his mind, the Prince focused on what they had to do right now. They had to  _find_ a Crystal Shard before they should even begin to worry about what to do next.

Since night was falling, there was turning out to be very few people on the streets he could ask to see if they had seen anything odd in the past few days. This made Noctis have to try the various stores he passed. With this place seeming like such a small town, he did receive quite a few stares whenever he entered a place. It was rather hard to ignore all the eyes on him, but he asked whoever he could. In the end, he was not sure what gave him more odd stares: being a newcomer in the town, or what he was asking.

Running his hands over his face, Noctis began to head towards the inn after getting directions since it was coming close to an hour since he had started. Even trying to focus his senses on what he believed to be the Crystal Shard did not help. It was like a fog kept him from getting any better idea on where it could be. Frustrated to no end, the Prince entered the inn. None of his other friends were there yet, so he decided to ask around here as well.

“Anything odd?” repeated the receptionist at the desk. She blinked at Noctis for a second. “Could you be any more specific?”

Solemnly, he shook his head. “No. Please,  _ anything _ that seemed odd in the past few days might be useful, no matter how insignificant it may seem.”

The woman tilted her head to the side and crossed her arm. “I saw a shooting star in the sky four nights ago. It looked fairly normal, just...” Her brow furrowed as she recalled what had happened. “It seemed  _ closer _ than normal ones, and quite bright too. I thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me.”

Noctis blinked. “A shooting star?” He had to keep his hopes from rising. When the Crystal had scattered its shards across the land, they had certainly looked like shooting stars for the brief moment he saw them. This might be the lead they were looking for.

“Yeah. Probably nothing, though. But... I dunno, something about it just felt...different.” Noctis was careful to hide any hope he may have had. At the very least, there was now something they could look into in the morning. “Will you be needing anything else, sir, or is that all?” she asked after he continued to remain silent.

“Do you have a four-person room available?”

“Certainly! You can have room twelve. Up the stairs and to the left. Please enjoy your stay.” With a nod, Noctis muttered his thanks and headed to the lobby, not the room. Taking a seat on one of the couches, he kept a watchful eye on the door of the inn, waiting to see when his friends would appear. One by one, his three friends showed up at the inn. Before they even began to discuss anything, the four of them headed up to their room to make sure no one overheard. It would not be a good idea to have their cover blown so early on.

“So, anyone find anything?” asked Gladiolus as he plopped down on a bed. After falling face first onto another bed, Prompto let our a muffled groan, his own way of saying he did not find anything useful.

“There certainly was not much information one could get,” answered Ignis as he took off his glasses and cleaned them. “But several people gave similar answers.”

“And what was that?” questioned the blond, his voice still muffled.

“They all claimed to have seen a shooting star a few nights ago.”

Rolling onto his back, Prompto gave a sardonic look at his friend. “And they considered that  _ odd _ ?”

“It was not so much the shooting star itself, but rather—”

“It was close to the ground?” finished Noctis. Ignis looked over to the Prince and nodded.

“You too, huh?” huffed out Gladiolus. “Good. And I thought the couple people that gave that answer were a little weird.”

“Wait, you mean you  _ all _ had people tell the same story of a shooting star?” Prompto promptly sat up. “I didn't get a single one saying that!”

“What do you think we should do next?” asked Ignis to Noctis, completely ignoring the blond's protest.

“We go out searching for this shooting star in the morning.”

“Do you really think it's the Crystal Shard?”

“We won't know unless we look.”

 

* * *

 

Once morning came, Noctis and his friends got up and readied themselves for the day (with much protest from Prompto for he still wanted to sleep in). With the sun rising in the sky, they now saw just now many people there really were in this town.

“Where to?” asked Prompto through a loud yawn.

“Further west?” offered Noctis with a shrug.

“What is it with you and heading west in the past while?”

Running a hand down his face, Noctis let out a slightly annoyed sigh. “If it really is what we're looking for, then it came from the east and must have been heading west, just like we are.”

“Ah, right!” A quick laugh escaped him. They had barely moved two feet before screams could be heard. “What the...?” The screams grew louder and louder for the people of the town were fleeing towards where the friends stood. Even those that looked like they were possibly part of some sort of guard were escaping, carrying those that needed help.

The ground beneath their feet began to rumble with smaller and smaller breaks between each shake of the earth. This was no natural disaster...something was coming. As if in answer to their silent question of what it could be, a roar split through the air as a behemoth came charging down the street. It tore through buildings like they were nothing, leaving only disaster in its wake.

“Something tells me these people don't get those fiends here too often,” commented Prompto as the monster drew closer and closer.

“Heh, good thing we're all rested. Time to kick some ass!” called out Gladiolus as he swung his axe before him. Noctis nodded in agreement and held out his hand. He quickly cursed at himself for making such a mistake. Reaching back, he gripped the hilt of his sword and drew it before him. It was still taking him time to get adjusted to not being able to summon his weapon like normal. To his side, Ignis equipped his elbow blades. All of them were now ready.

Only someone else had beaten them to it.

Rearing back on its hind legs, the behemoth let out a shattering roar that shook everything around it. As it fell back to its forelegs, the massive creature shook its head in pain. The four friends stared in surprise as they saw a figure standing atop the back of the behemoth's head. With a double-ended spear jammed into the thick hide, it was clear this person was the cause of the monster's discomfort.

Claws suddenly swatted through the air and the behemoth hit its mark. The person was sent flying off until they impacted in the side of a nearby building. Sliding down, the person remained in a slump, possibly stunned from the blow.

“C'mon!” yelled Gladiolus as he rushed towards where the person had fallen. Noctis followed his scarred friend while the other two moved to distract the behemoth. Once they got close enough, they saw the person was in fact a woman. “Hey, you okay?” he asked, shaking her shoulder lightly.

Swallowing what was most likely blood, she slowly opened her eyes. Noctis felt a slight chill run down his spine. They were so pale it was almost impossible to tell where the pupil changed into the sclera. Supporting her weight on the broken wall, and not taking the help Gladiolus offered, she pushed herself up. “I am fine,” she groaned before hurrying towards the behemoth. Grunting in surprise, the City Guard was next to join the battle.

Remaining where he stood, Noctis stared after the woman. Her pale hair was a rather unnatural shade of white, somewhat sickly looking as well. And her complexion had looked so pale she seemed like she would pass out any second. Despite her appearances, she was able to fight with as much strength and precision as the rest of them. There was something else about her that was nagging on the back of his mind. Just what it was, though, continued to elude him.

“Hey, you just gonna stand there all day?!” shouted out Prompto. Grumbling a phrase under his breath, Noctis was quick to jump into the fray.

What had to be nothing more than cuts and scrapes on the behemoth began to take its toll. Warm blood dripped onto the ground as its attacks grew more frantic and powerful in what was very well its last few moments. It was one of the traits of a behemoth: growing more powerful when it neared the end of its life in battle. Swiping out a massive paw, Noctis barely brought his sword up in time to block the attack.

It almost felt like his wrists shattered from the heavy blow. Unable to hold onto his weapon, he watched as he it was torn out of his grip. Crying out in protest, he instinctively reached out towards it though it was already too far away to grab back onto. His eyes suddenly grew wide when his sword appeared back in his hand, shards of crystal glinting in the air around it. There was no time to ponder how it had happened.

Whirling around, Noctis jammed the sword into the open mouth of the behemoth as it came looming over him. A gurgled roar escaped the behemoth as it twitched slightly, the blow reaching its brain. Before the blood and saliva of the behemoth could stain him, Noctis wrenched out his blade. The behemoth seemed to stumble around for a moment before it collapsed under its own weight.

“Bet the townspeople are gonna have fun cleaning that thing up,” commented Prompto, slinging his shotgun over his shoulder.

“I think they'd rather clean this up than their own people,” remarked Gladiolus.

“True. Now... Hey, wait!” Looking over, they all saw that the woman had already started to leave. Grabbing her by the shoulder, their blond friend stopped her from going any farther. “You okay there, miss?”

The pale woman turned around and faced them. As she did, Noctis gasped lightly when something caught his eye. Caught in the midst of battle, he had not noticed it before. Hanging around her neck, a crystal glinted in the morning light. It looked more like a shard rather than a fine-cut piece of jewelry. There was a glow from it and a power radiating softly from within that Noctis could now feel. Could it really be this simple...?

“Where did you get that...?” he breathed softly, pointing to the small shard.

Her expression neutral, the woman looked down to her necklace before glancing back up. “I do not know.”

“You don't know?” asked Prompto, crossing his arms.

“I don't know. I've had it for as long as I can remember.”

“And just how long is that?”

“A few days ago.”

“Wait, what?” coughed out the blond. “A few  _ days _ ago?”

“Yes. I can't remember anything beyond a few days ago.” There was something...odd about the way she spoke. None of them could quite place their finger on it.

“May I take a closer look at it?” asked Noctis, holding out his hand. Acquiescing to his request, the woman slipped the shard of crystal from her neck and held it out in the palm of her hand. The four friends moved in to all get a better look at it. While most people might have shied away from strangers moving in so close, the woman remained completely still, like a statue.

“It's so small... Are  _ all _ the shards gonna be like this?” complained Prompto. The Crystal that had sustained the people of Lucis was about the size of a fully grown man. The shard that now rested in the woman's hand was no larger than a pinky finger.

“There's no way to tell,” murmured Ignis as he peered at the shard. “We'd have to find more to be able to make that assumption or not.”

Reaching out, Noctis moved to take the shard to study it further when he suddenly winced and pulled back his hand. He and all his friends quickly stepped back, asking if he was all right.

“Are you hurt?” questioned the woman. Blinking in surprise, the Prince looked up to her. He now realized what seemed off about how she spoke: there was little to no emotion to it. It was less noticeable the more she spoke with them, however, as though the woman was imitating all of them. Still, it was as though she was a robot, or some sort of computer, that had its memory wiped clear. Everything could still function, only there was no sense of being. She was a ghost of the person she once was.

“I'm fine.” Holding back a grunt of pain, Noctis shook his hand in attempts to get some feeling returning to it. When he had tried to touch the necklace, some sort of power had repelled him. It had managed to sting and burn him even through his glove. The burn was not from heat. No. It had been from intense cold. If it truly was a Crystal Shard, why had it repelled him so?

“A word, Noct?” asked Ignis. Tilting his head, he gestured for his friends to follow him a few feet away so they could talk in quiet.

“Wait right here, cutie,” winked Prompto as they headed away.

“What do you think that thing is?”

“If it's not a Crystal Shard...it's something I've never seen before,” muttered Noctis as he gripped his partially-numb hand. “Though I'm near positive that it  _ is _ a Crystal Shard. When we were fighting that behemoth, a fraction of my powers returned for a moment. I can only explain that happening because of that shard.”

“Why the hell does  _ she _ have it then?” huffed Gladiolus, crossing his arms.

“Maybe she just found it on the ground somewhere?” reasoned Prompto with a shrug.

“All right, then explain her memory loss.”

“Uh... Well...?”

“Perhaps the power of the Crystal did that to her,” remarked Ignis. “There's no telling what kind of raw power each Crystal Shard holds within it. Uncontrolled, I would not be surprised if they could even prove to be dangerous.”

“So we're gonna find more amnesia-stricken girls with each shard? I think I might just start to like this journey!” For his comment, Prompto received a quick knock on the head, courtesy of Gladiolus.

“That I doubt. But there's no telling what we might find around future shards.”

“What should we do about her, then?”

“We send her to Lucis,” said Noctis, standing straighter. “Let the people back home deal with it while we continue searching. At the very least, the shard might help to delay the degradation of our society.”

“Send the poor girl back on her own? You  _ serious _ ?” blurted out Prompto in surprise.

“You saw her fight. I'm sure she can handle herself if more monsters cross her path.”

“And what if that  _ guy _ from the other night were to find her? And who's to say she'd even  _ listen _ to us and head to Lucis in the first place! I think she should come with us! You said so yourself, she can fight. I'm sure she'd be handy to have around.”

“Are  _ you _ serious? She looks more like she needs to go see a  _ doctor _ rather than joining us on a journey that will take who-knows-how long! Tell her she has to go to Lucis.”

“Me? Why should  _ I _ tell her?  _ You're _ the one that wants to send her packing!”

Crossing his arms, Noctis glanced away. “Because.”

“Because  _ why _ ? Picking now of all times to get shy?”

Slightly flustered by his friend's comment, Noctis rounded on Prompto. “Noct,” interrupted Ignis, his calm voice bringing them back to their senses. The Prince coughed lightly and smoothed down his coat. “You said your powers returned for a moment while in proximity to it, right?” Noctis quickly nodded in affirmative. “Then I do think it would be best for her to come with us. I highly doubt having that small shard would be able to help Lucis at all. But, with her and the shard with us, we might just be able to collect the others faster.”

“Ha! That's two for her coming along! What about you, Gladiolus?”

The tall man ran his hand over his scruff-covered chin. “I think we should at least give her the option.”

Sighing in reluctance, Noctis muttered, “Fine.” Turning around, he paused for a moment. The woman was still waiting patiently where she had been. This almost surprised him more than seeing her no longer there would have. They had spent longer talking amongst themselves than he intended. “There's something we need to discuss with you, if you have a moment.”

“All right.”

Taking a quick look around, Noctis motioned them to follow him away from the corpse of the behemoth. They had been lucky that no one had interrupted them before now, but there was no telling how long that luck would last.

“We believe that necklace you're wearing is part of the Crystal that sustains our people,” began Noctis once they headed down an alley.

“Noct! What the hell are you doing?!” hissed  Prompto swiftly. Noctis raised a hand to stop his friend from continuing.

“She doesn't know  _ any _ thing,” he hissed back in a low voice. He continued to stare at his friend until Prompto mouthed a silent “ooohhh” as what Noctis was hinting at dawned on him. If she did not remember a thing beyond a few days ago, then she did not know about the cold war, Crystals, or the fact that most people either wanted the Crystal of Lucis destroyed or taken for their own. At least, that is what the Prince hoped.

Clearing his throat, Noctis looked back to the pale woman. “As I said, we believe your necklace to be a shard of our Crystal. A few days ago, it shattered and the pieces were scattered across the world. We believe that this is how you came across that, and why you can no longer remember anything beyond a few days ago.”

The woman blinked and looked down at the necklace she still held in her hand. “It...is?”

“I'm afraid we only have speculations for now,” sighed the Prince. “But, one of the traits of the Crystal was that it lent its power to select few. I'm one of those few.” A light wince crossed his face as he said that statement. While there were only a few Protectors to begin with, now there were even less. He really was one of the last few. “But with the Crystal shattered, those powers have left me. However, when we were fighting the behemoth with you, they came back for a moment. I believe it was because that really is one of the Crystal Shards we're looking for.” He sighed softly once he finished explaining.

“So...you need this... But you are unable to take it...”

“We're sorry to ask this of you, but we're in a bit of a bind,” began Ignis, stepping forward. “We can't risk that shard getting destroyed or falling into the wrong hands. We need to be able to keep an eye on it.”

“And our buddy here will be stronger with it near us,” teased out Gladiolus as he ruffled Noctis' hair, who quickly squirmed away from the action.

“Basically, we're asking if you wouldn't mind coming along with us as we search for the other shards,” grinned Prompto as he placed his hand on his hips. He tried to give the most charming grin he could muster.

The woman seem unfazed by all the information that had just been dumped on her. “If what you say is true, and it really will help you to have this shard near, then I would be fine with joining you.” Noctis had to hold back a light groan. Part of him wished she would have declined their offer. “I shall do my best to keep this safe for you,” she muttered while slipping the necklace back on.

“All right!” cheered Prompto. He took the woman's hand briskly and shook it. “I'm Prompto.”

“Gladiolus,” he grinned, gesturing to himself with a thumb.

“Ignis,” nodded the third friend.

“...Noctis...” Arms crossed, the Prince looked back up to her. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he studied her. So caught up with the battle and then the necklace, he had not really gotten a good chance to look at her until now. He stood by his previous statement of her looking sick due to how pale she was. But, there was something else...

“Have we met before?” he suddenly asked. His friends all looked to him with surprised expressions. There were not many people that he knew that they did not. Though, as soon as the words left his mouth, Noctis quickly regretted asking the question.

“I don't know. If we have, I'm afraid I do not remember.” Of course that was going to be her answer. If they had met, with her memory now gone, there was no chance of her being able to recall the moment. Noctis shook his head, hiding his frustration. He felt he  _ should _ know her. But, the harder he tried, the more the feeling escaped him. It was like he was trying to grasp onto the remnants of a dream that remained constantly out of reach.

“Right, sorry. Well,” he cleared his throat and stood a little straighter. “Thank you for helping us in this matter, Miss?” Noctis waited for her to say something, but the woman remained silent. “Miss...?”

“What is your name?” asked Ignis bluntly once it became clear that she did not pick up on what Noctis was asking.

She shrugged lightly. “I don't remember.”

“Well!” barked Gladiolus. “This won't do at all. What can we call you?” The woman tilted her head to the side, her expression remaining the same. “You can pick whatever you like!” She continued to stare at him, seeming uncertain of how to proceed.

“How 'bout Leucothea?” grinned out Prompto. The woman's eyes twitched lightly at the name, as though she did not approve of it.

“Too long, man,” sighed their scarred friend.

“Aw, but it suits her!”

“Did it look like she liked the sound of it to you?”

“She just has to get used to it!”

“...Niveus?” offered Noctis after a moment of thought.

Prompto gave the Prince a flat stare. “Could you have possibly picked a plainer name?” Noctis merely crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. He had given an option for a name, he did not have to deal with this waste of time any more. Dismissing the matter, he started to head off.

“Niveus...” murmured the woman, causing Noctis to look back over his shoulder. She seemed to have been testing the name. “Niveus... Niv...” Looking up, the slightest of smiles crossed her face. For a moment, she seemed completely healthy. “I like it.”

Gladiolus let out a quick laugh. “Well then, Niveus. You ready to head on out?”

The smile gone, her ghostly complexion returned. “Yes,” she answered with a firm nod.

“Are you able to tell where another Crystal Shard is yet, Noct?” asked Ignis as he pushed his glasses back up.

Closing his eyes, the Prince let out a slow breath. Reaching out he searched for some hint of another shard. The fog that seemed to be blocking his senses the night before had lifted and he could now clearly feel the presence of the shard the woman, Niveus as she was now named, carried. It allowed him a moment of reassurance before he sought out the presence of another shard.

Eyes opening, he looked back at their slightly larger group. With a toss of his head, he indicated them to follow. “We head north.”

 


	3. Hellfire

After leaving the town where they had fought the behemoth, Noctis and his friends were once again forced to walk to their next destination. This, of course, brought much protest from Prompto, but there was not much any of them could do about their situation. The town had been such a small one that there was no place for them to buy or rent some sort of vehicle. For now, they would have live with travelling on foot.

While their journey into Solheim had been filled with conversations between the friends, it was now almost always in dead silence. There was only one thing to account for this change: their new companion. The woman that they had come to call Niveus trailed silently at their side. Noctis did not want to deal with her let alone start up a conversation. She may have had to travel with them so they could keep the Crystal Shard that was bound to her near, but that did not mean they had to do anything else.

The other three men, at least, would try talking with Niveus now and then. Most of the time, though, her responses would either be “I don't know,” or “I don't remember,” and thus quickly ending any conversations that were started—if one cold call them conversations. So, while it was not as though they were all giving her the cold shoulder, it was just hard to have more than a few words with the pale woman.

When night had fallen and they made their place to stop for the evening, even their dinner conversation was minimal. His friends tried to get the Prince to talk a little with Niveus, but Noctis was able to get around doing so. He was not so accepting of her on this journey as the others seemed to be. It was not as though this was some pleasure cruise that just anyone could join them on without so much as a “by your leave”. With being the first to finish his meal for the night, Noctis was quick to excuse himself for sleep.

This routine was much the same for the following day, as well. On the second night, Noctis' troubling dream returned. Still the Crystal cried out for help. Still it shattered. Still he could do nothing to aid it. Waking, he was careful to keep his breathing quiet as he stared out into the darkness of the night. He reached up and gripped his hair tight, as though it would help to take his mind off the dream that plagued him.

“Trouble sleeping?” asked a soft voice. Noctis quickly tensed up, not having expected anyone to still be awake at that late hour. Turning over, he saw who he had assumed had spoken: Niveus. The woman sat by the dying embers of the fire they had made for the night and watched the ashes dance with each faint  _ crack _ and  _ pop _ .

Frowning to mask a glare, Noctis remained silent as he looked at her. How had she known he had woken up let alone was having a troubling sleep? A thought crossed his mind and his frown was replaced by a look of light embarrassment. He sure did not hope he had talked in his sleep.

“What about you?” he asked back, not wanting to answer her question. “Shouldn't you be sleeping?” A loud snore from Gladiolus reassured the Prince that at least his other friends were resting.

“I'm not tired,” she responded, not once taking her eyes of the embers. Noctis sighed softly. Even when her answers were not “I don't know” or “I don't remember”, it was still hard to talk with her.

Seeing that their little conversation had died faster than the fire, Noctis let out a scoff and looked down to his hands. Since he had woken up, there was something that he wanted to try. Closing his eyes, the dark-haired Prince concentrated with all his might on the power of the Crystal Shard. He had been able to use it in the midst of battle, surely he could call upon it again.

Try as he might, the Crystal would not answer his call. The sword he tried to summon over to him remained where it was, as motionless as an inanimate object should be. He cursed under his breath and clenched his hand into a fist in frustration. Noctis almost felt like he had been abandoned by the Crystal. Back when it first shattered, he had no idea that this ordeal would leave him so...sad.

“Any luck?” Noctis nearly startled at the sudden question. He blinked a few times and looked up to see Niveus watching him with those freakishly pale eyes of hers. Frowning, the Prince shifted back slightly. How long had she been watching him? Not to mention, how had she known he tried to use his abilities? His deep-blue eyes darted down to the Crystal Shard that hung from her neck. Perhaps that was how...

“No,” he sighed coarsely as he rolled onto his back. Looking up to the night sky, he kept himself from turning back to Niveus though he could still feel her eyes on him. The silence that followed was an awkward one at best. It even grew to a point where Noctis was becoming unsettled by it. “Why are you helping us?” he finally asked, looking over to her from the corner of his vision.

She tilted her head at him. “Because you asked,” answered Niveus truthfully. This caused Noctis to look at her in surprise. There had been no deceit or trickery in her words. Was that truly the only reason for her joining them? With how she had answered, it certainly seemed to be the case, but Noctis just could not accept it so readily. “Because you need this Crystal Shard, as you call it, but are unable to take it.”

Noctis' brow furrowed. “That's it?”

“That's it.” She blinked at him in confusion. “Is that wrong?”

The Prince looked at her with a mix of bafflement and amazement for a moment. It was as though she were a child, not knowing the ways of the world and the people in it. Sighing, he gazed back up to the night sky and scowled lightly. “People...people just aren't like that.”

“Why not?” Once again, Noctis stared at her in surprise. It was not as though she meant “Why not? That sounds stupid,” with how she asked. No. Niveus was genuinely curious.

“Because people are selfish, and normally don't help without wanting something in return.” Noctis stared grimly up at the stars. It may have been a bleak outlook on life, but it had been proven true time and time again. Another thing he had learned was how often people would lie. When he had to deal with matters concerning Lucis and the other kingdoms, that fact was made painfully obvious to him. Sighing deeply, Noctis turned his back to Niveus. “Get some rest, even if you're not tired,” he muttered as way of ending their conversation.

The Prince only hoped, as he slowly began to fall asleep, that his nightmares would not return.

 

* * *

 

“Man, look at the size of that thing!” whistled Prompto in awe. Raising his hand to block the glare from the sun, he craned his head back to stare up at the mountain that loomed before them. Lucis' surrounding lands were very flat, and as such, mountains like the one the city before them rested under did not exist. “Is this where you think the Crystal Shard is?” he asked, looking over his shoulder to Noctis.

The Prince nodded as he studied the city ahead of them. It was larger than the town they had been at a few days before. Buildings rose up into the sky rather limited to a floor or two. In a small way, it reminded them of home. That then brought a thought to their mind: when would they be able to see Lucis again? There was no telling how many shards there were out there, and if each of them continued to take days to collect, their time spent on this journey could certainly add up.

“So, do we start asking around to see if anyone's seen a shooting star?” smirked Gladiolus.

Sighing, Ignis pushed up his glasses. “There's no telling if each shard will have the same story. We should just ask around for anything out of the ordinary again.”

Prompto threw up his arms as she shook his head. “Well, let's just get this over with then.”

“This is a much larger place, though. I think we should stick together to make sure none of us get lost,” remarked Noctis. It was silent for a moment as all eyes fell onto a particular person in their party.

“What are you looking at  _ me _ for?” questioned Prompto with a light glare.

“Well, you  _ do _ have a pretty bad sense of direction,” coughed Gladiolus as he glanced away.

“I was surprised you didn't get lost back in the last town,” commented Ignis.

Distraught from the comments directed at him, Prompto looked to Noctis with a pleading expression. “Noct?”

The Prince shrugged and looked away. “I stand by what I said.”

“Bu—but!” Sighing, the blond then looked over to the one person who had not said a word since they reached the  city. “At least Niveus doesn't make fun of me!” Quickly moving to her side, Prompto wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Ain't that right?” He shot a grin at her. Blinking a couple times, Niveus looked back at him with mild surprise. She seemed at a loss for what to say. “You're on  _ my _ side through thi—Hey!” Within a second, Prompto was sent stumbling forward after being shoved away from the pale woman. Whirling around, he glared up at Gladiolus. “What was  _ that _ for?!”

“Don't you drag her into this too,” huffed the scarred man.

“She's already  _ been _ dragged into this whole mess!”

“That's not what I'm talking abou—”

“Um...” whispered Niveus. Though it quiet, her voice brought everyone else to silence and stopped the argument before it could escalate any further. “Should we start looking now?”

Taking that moment to regain control of the situation, Noctis gave a firm nod. “Let's go.”

Staying together, the friends made their way into the crowded city. With it being early afternoon, there were plenty of people about that they could ask.

“Something odd?” questioned one of the first few men they asked. The friends from Lucis were careful to mask any hope they might have had. It was sounding good so far. “You should talk to the miners. Ever since about a week ago, they've been going on about the mines in the mountain being cursed.”

“Where can we speak to them?”

“Head towards the mountain. It's the big building with smokestacks before the mine shafts. Can't miss it.”

Nodding in thanks, the friends were quick to head off. All of them wanted to find the next shard as quickly as possible and be on their way. Time was of the essence in this matter.

“A curse? Really? That doesn't seem like Crystal would do,” remarked Prompto as he placed his hands behind his head. He had asked the question that had been on all their minds. The Crystal gave life to their people. It brought hope to them and sustained their society. In these dark times, it remained a ray of light shining on. How could something that brought such life and prosperity be the cause of something people called a curse?

“It certainly does seem odd.” Gladiolus crossed his arms as he looked up towards the mountain. “But not as though we got anything to lose by looking!”

“Only time,” remarked Ignis. It was true. If the curse turned out not to be caused by the Crystal Shard, then they would have wasted valuable time in looking. Every moment was precious. They had already been searching for a week and only had one shard to show for their efforts.

“I think it is a Crystal Shard,” said Noctis from the front. “It's broken, shattered, not how it's meant to be at all. There's no telling what it'll do in that state. I'm sure it's capable of things we never thought possible from it before.” The Crystal, as Noctis knew, was alive in some way. Just like a person that was injured, desperate, and scared, there was no telling what it would do. To him, at least, causing something that could be called a curse seemed like a reasonable thing for it to do. “Besides, the timeline fits.”

For them, that ended their conversation as they continued on towards the mountain. If the others still had doubts over whether or not the curse was caused by a Crystal Shard or not, they certainly did not voice it. Surely Noctis, who was the only one out of them who was connected to the Crystal, knew it best. If he believed it to be a Crystal Shard, then that was enough for the rest of his friends.

The man they had spoken to had been correct. As they followed the streets to the mountain, the building that he had mentioned was very hard to miss. Rising up from the land, it was the only structure like it in the area. The entrance to the mines could also be seen, their dark tunnels fading from sight when they reached too far into the mountain.

“Whaddaya want?” huffed a man once they entered the building. The burly man was scrambling around, perhaps trying to make sense of the mess around them. “Little busy here, so hurry it up!”

“We have some questions,” began Noctis, stepping forward.

“Yeah, well, I may not have the answers. Well, what's taking ya? Spit it out!” The man continued to work, not sparing the companions more than a glance.

“We'd like to know more about this curse we heard about in the mi—”

“Ha! Curse?” barked the burly man. “Bunch of scared wusses if ya ask me! About a week ago, the miners that work down there started to go on about the place now being  _ cursed _ . They're all so frightened that many have stopped comin' in ta work. Something about a monster and the mountain blowin' up.”

Prompto swallowed nervously. “Blow up? You mean...is that mountain actually a  _ volcano _ ?”

“Used ta be,” grunted the man as he placed down something that seemed rather heavy. “But it's been dead fer generations. Nuttin' but a mountain now.”

“Are you sure it's not just dormant?” questioned Ignis as he looked out the window to the dead volcano.

“Are ya kiddin'? That things  _ dead _ . I'd stake my career on it.”

“Of course, the only thing you'd have to lose if you were wrong is just the entire city being wiped out,” commented Gladiolus.

“Feh, not gonna happen!”

“Thanks for your time,” said Noctis with a stiff bow. Seeing that they had gotten all the information that they were going to get from the man, the Prince turned and gestured to his friends that it was time to leave. Not to mention, he did not want to have to deal with other people more than was necessary. They needed information, but he did not want to stay long enough for people to start figuring out what they were after.

“So, how fast do you think people would die if that thing blew?” questioned Prompto as he stared up at the volcano once they were outside.

“Within seconds,” answered Ignis with a sigh. “If it does go...we won't want to be here.”

“Well then, let's get that shard and get the hell out of here. What's the plan, Noct?”

Looking around, Noctis checked to see how many people were in the area. Other than the man they had dealt with inside the building, there had been no one in sight. “We go in,” he answered, looking back to his friends. “You say you want to get this over with, right?” Raising an eyebrow, the Prince seemed to challenge any of them to argue otherwise.  They all remained silent.  Just as he thought. Even if they were not too thrilled at the prospect of going inside a volcano, none of them could argue with him.

Hurrying along, the five of them made their way to the entrance of the mines and delved into the darkness. Lights were strung along the supports, illuminating the place once the light from the sun could no longer reach in. Even with the light, it was still a dark and gloomy place. Water trickled down the walls. Given enough time, that alone would render the mine useless, despite whether or not the volcano erupted. Machinery and other tools were scattered about. As they travelled deeper and deeper into the earth, they wondered how quickly the miners had left for everything to be in this state.

The farther in they got, the less and less it was looking like a mine, and was looking more and more like a fissure. Supports were minimal at best, and they could not help but become a little wary of their surroundings.

“Hey, Noct, buddy, you sure this is such a smart idea?” laughed Prompto nervously. “I mean, you know, what if something were to go wrong? Not as though you got your powers to help us if things go bad fast.”

“We don't have any other choice. The Crystal Shard is in here, I can tell that much now.” Pausing for a second, the Prince looked down the multiple tunnels that split off from the one they were currently in. None of them looked any better than the main tunnel. As long as they were down here, they would be at the mercy of nature. Like Prompto had pointed out, if something were to go wrong, there was nothing any of them could do. One mistake and they could be stuck down there or killed. “This way.” Picking up his pace a little, Noctis hurried towards the tunnel that was leading down.

“Man, I hate it when he gets like this.” Prompto raised his hands helplessly.

“Like what?” questioned Niveus as she slowed down to match his pace.

“When he gets so focused on something that he basically blocks everything else out. Don't get me wrong, it has had its useful moments, but that was also when he had all his abilities and could accomplish almost anything. Now...well, I just hope he remembers he's not all-powerful.” Soaking in the information, Niveus looked up to where Noctis was. He certainly did seem set on the task at hand. “He really needs a girl,” added the blond in a whisper.

“What will that do?”

Prompto made a quiet noise in surprise. He had not intended for anyone else to hear him. Laughing nervously, he rubbed the back of his head when he remembered that Niveus had her memories blocked. If she ever had known what Prompto meant by his comment, she sure did not now. “Ah, I'll explain it to you later...”

From the front, Noctis scowled lightly. Even he had been able to hear his friend's comment, but he did not respond to it. He just wanted to get the Crystal Shard as quickly as possible. The faster they got it, the sooner they could be back outside and safe. Was that really so hard for the others to understand? If it was not safe in here now, waiting would probably make that only worse.

Not to mention, for his sake, they simply  _ had _ to find the Crystal Shard.

Each day that passed without the Crystal left him feeling worse and worse. He had taken it for granted while growing up, thinking that it would always be there. Now...well, Noctis knew he would never take it for granted again. When they had found the first shard, or rather, it had found them, things had gotten marginally better. Perhaps each shard would begin to fill the hole that consumed him. He could only hope...

“Man, is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?” sighed Gladiolus as he wiped sweat that began to bead on his forehead.

“The temperature sure seems to have gone up,” agreed Ignis.

Stopping in his tracks, Noctis looked at the sudden change in surroundings. “Uh...I think I know why that is...”

“Whoa!” shouted Prompto in surprise when they reached the Prince's side. “Dead volcano, yeah right!”

Flowing beside the path they were on were rivers of magma. The molten rock flowed along, slowly changing the shape of the chamber around it. One wrong step, and there would be no return for any of them. This close to the magma, the heat was bordering on unbearable for them.

“You  _ sure _ this is the way to the shard?” questioned Gladiolus as he peered at the molten rock. Patches of cooled magma flowed across the surface, like small black islands that seemed like they could possibly support someone for a fraction of a second before merging into the magma.

“It is...” answered Noctis, somewhat put-off by what they would have to travel through.

“Man, I think I can start to see why people stopped using Crystals,” commented Prompto as he scratched his head.

“Oh? And why's that?”

“They're  _ waaaaaay _ more trouble than they're worth!”

“We're here now. Might as well keep going forward, right?” Blinking, Niveus waited for some kind of response from any of them. The men simply stared at her with light surprise. None of them had expected her to be the one to voice continuing on. She waited a moment longer, but once it became clear that none of them were about to say anything she continued on into the volcano. The heat and prospect of immense danger did not seem to be affecting her one bit.

“Huh...whaddaya know,” muttered out Prompto as he watched Niveus with interest. “She's got some spunk after all.”

“You call  _ that _ spunk?” Gladiolus raised an eyebrow sardonically.

“Well, coming from her, yeah.”

“Point...”

“Hey, wait up there, Niv!” called out Prompto as he hurried to catch up with her. Letting out a bark of a laugh, Gladiolus was next to follow.

Crossing his arms, Ignis looked over his shoulder to Noctis. “Well, you were the one who wanted to hurry along and get the shard.” With a shrug, the friend with glasses was next to join the others in their trek through the sweltering surroundings.

Noctis remained where he was for a moment longer. The expression on his face made it clear that he did not quite understand what had just happened. Brow furrowing, he let out a soft sigh before he hurried along so he would not get left behind.

The heat only grew worse the farther in they went. For a while, they wondered if the temperature would ever stop rising. The air in front of them danced as the warmer currents rose up, trying to escape from the maze of a mine. Just how far this went on for, none of them knew.

“Man, aren't you boiling in that thing?” panted out Prompto as he slipped off his own vest. The blond looked up to Noctis, who had once again taken the lead.

The Prince let out a light groan. He tried not to think about the heat. As such, having his friend ask about it did not really help the matter. When he focused on other things, rather than just the heat that smothered all of them, it could become bearable for a while. Even the others were removing their top layer of clothing due to the uncomfortable heat.

“It is, but I'll be fine,” panted Noctis after swallowing to regain the moisture that was in him.

“Then why don't ya just take off the coat if its so uncomfortable?” Noctis sighed in annoyance, but said nothing. Blinking in confusion, Prompto then glanced over to the only woman in their party for a second before looking back to his friend. “Ah,  never mind . But if you pass out or die because of your shyness, don't say I didn't warn you!”

Rolling his eyes, Noctis muttered something under his breath. He merely did not think removing his coat would make enough of a difference in this magnitude of heat. It did not have anything to do with him being shy. At least, that is what he tried to convince himself was the reason.

Finding it too difficult to even talk any more in the heat, they continued on into the volcano in silence. After a time, the path they travelled along began to rise up, yet the magma stayed with them. Wherever they went, it was right there at their side, a constant reminder to how dangerous this place was. Now and then, tremors would shake through the ground, causing all of them to stop and wait for it to pass. They were not very strong quakes, but they were enough to make the companions grow even more concerned.

“Hey, do you hear that?” whispered Prompto as he stopped walking. The others also stopped and strained their hearing to try and catch what it was that captured the blond's attention. A clash was faintly heard. “Is that... Is there someone  _ fighting _ down here?”

“Who says it has to be someone?” questioned Gladiolus. “Could be some _ thing _ .” A sudden roar shook through the tunnel, causing all of them to have to steady their footing. “See?” The roaring faded away, but the ground still vibrated from it.

“Oh, yes, that makes it  _ much _ better, thank you.”

“Could it be the source of the curse the miners are afraid of?” asked Niveus as she tilted her head to the side.

Gladiolus let out a long sigh as he stared at the path ahead of them. “Well, something tells me we're about to find out.”

“Let's go!” called out Noctis before he ran on ahead. Even in this heat, the idea that someone could be closer to the Crystal Shard than they were almost scared him. If it was taken before they reached it...he would never forgive himself. Up ahead, he could see that the tunnel opened up. Hurrying through the natural archway, he breathed out a sigh of relief when it got noticeably cooler. The cavern they were now in was so large that the heat rose up away from them instead of being cramped around them. Above them was a roof of rock that had holes scattered about, allowing some of that heat to escape. A giant ring of magma flowed around the edge of the cavern, making this place no less dangerous than the tunnels before it.

“Damn that Creon! He didn't say there anything about there being something like this!” cursed a man with green hair from the center of the chamber. Eyes widening in surprise, Noctis looked over to the man who was supporting his weight on a spear. He was doubled-over and seemed to be holding his left arm under his right as though it were injured.

“Creon...” repeated Noctis. That was the name his father had given for the man who tried to destroy their Crystal. Drawing forth his sword, the Prince rushed forward to the man at the center of the cavern. There were answers he wanted, and that man should surely have them.

“What the?!” blurted out the green-haired man as he barely noticed the Prince in time. Jumping to the side, he dodged to safety before the sword would have injured him. “ _ Tch _ , figures you guys would show up.” Looking over to where Noctis' friends still stood, the man seemed to groan lightly.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” demanded Noctis as he rounded about for another attack.

“Looking for the same thing you are, my good Prince.” Though the man tried to act smug, it seemed as though he could not mask his pain entirely. A sudden roar kept them from talking any further. It bubbled up from deep within the magma until it tore through the entire cavern.

“Wha-what kind of monster makes a noise like  _ that _ ?!” shouted out Prompto as he covered his ears in attempts to block it out. Everyone else was doing much the same, trying to withstand it until the roar faded away.

Letting out a curse, the green-haired man looked back to Noctis. “Well, I'd love to stick around, but I think it's your turn to deal with that thing. Enjoy the heat of hellfire!”

“Wait!” cried out Noctis...but it was no use. The man had disappeared into a swirl of dark magic. Breathing heavily as way to vent his frustration, Noctis cursed under his breath. The last time he had seen such magic was when Creon fled the Crystal chamber. Did that man work for or with Creon? Only one thing was certain after that encounter: they were no longer the only ones searching for the Crystal Shards.

A terrible rumbling cut his thoughts short. The ground shook violently as Noctis' friends moved quickly to join him at the center of the cavern. All of them looked around for what was causing the disruption. It was like the monster was toying with them.

“So, still think the Crystal Shard is here?” asked Prompto as he slung his shotgun over his shoulder.

Noctis nodded, not once taking his eyes off from the edge of the ground they were on. “Positive.”

“Over there!” shouted Gladiolus as he gestured to one side of the cavern. Everyone whirled around to see just what the monster was.

The temperature in the room rose rapidly. All of them wondered for a moment just how hot it could get. It became clear to them then why the man had said to enjoy the heat of hellfire. Off where Gladiolus had pointed to rose a giant claw that gripped the side of the ground and pulled up the rest of the body of the creature. They stared on in shock when they saw what it was.

As massive as the behemoth they fought a couple days back, the monster seemed to be made completely of the magma it rose from. The outer layer of it cooled so quickly that it turned to black rock. But it did not remain like that for long. Bubbling up from underneath, fresh magma split through its skin and spewed forth, endlessly destroying and creating a new shell. Never before had any of them seen anything like this beast.

“How...how the hell are we meant to destroy something like  _ that _ ?!” blurted out Prompto as he backed up a step. Magma dripped from what had to be the maw of the beast once it was fully onto the same ground as they were. It stared at them hungrily. How much of a meal they would provide for the monster, none of them knew, nor did they want to find out.

“Now I can see why that guy left,” barked Gladiolus. Their scarred friend gripped his axe tightly, a part of him wishing they had also left when they had a chance.

“Guess it's up to us to clean up this mess,” sighed Ignis as he pushed up his glasses.

“I'm sure it can be defeated,” commented Niveus. Her pale eyes darted all over the monster, looking for something that could be a weak spot and exploit it.

“Time to put an end to this  _ curse _ ,” muttered Noctis calmly. Gripping his sword, he rushed forward. It was times like this where he missed his teleportation ability the most. The monster roared as he neared, magma flying from its maw. Steeling himself against the intense heat, Noctis leapt up and sliced through one of the forelegs before landing a safe distance away. Whirling around, he looked to see what damage he caused.

The severed leg fell to the ground and quickly cooled in place. A grumble seemed to escape the monster, but it otherwise remained unfazed. A curse escaped Noctis as he watched while the foreleg reformed from new magma. It was like he had done nothing at all to it. The monster shook its foreleg, testing it to make sure everything was working normally.

A loud  _ bang _ rang through the air after Prompto fired his shotgun. The rounds passed harmlessly into the face of the monster, who barely flinched from the attack. Taking what would have normally been an opening, Gladiolus charged forward to see if his own attack could work. The magma-monster focused its attention on the scarred man and quickly swiped at him. Bringing up his axe to block the attack, Gladiolus barely managed to defend himself from the molten rock. A cry of surprise escaped him as he dropped his weapon when it became too hot for him to hold onto.

“How are we meant to attack it?” questioned Prompto as they gathered back up together. “Normal attacks aren't doing anything, and who knows how long your melee weapons would stand up against it!”

“Then we attack by other means,” answered Ignis. From the moment he saw Noctis' attack had not worked, he had begun to prepare his own way to damage the monster. Now it was time to try his method. Holding out his hand, the air around them cooled rapidly. What moisture there was around them began to form shards of ice that somehow managed to keep from melting in the scorching cavern. With a single thought, his magic spell shot off towards the monster.

The shards of ice imbedded themselves into the magma beast. As they did, the areas around where they landed cooled quickly, making those parts of the monster useless. The ice had been so cold that the heat of the monster could not melt them.

“All right!” cheered out Prompto as the monster coiled in pain. “We just gotta freeze that thing! Niveus, can you use magic?”

“I'm...not sure,” she answered after a moment's thought.

“Well, we'll find that out later then. You help Noct with distracting the monster. We'll make sure that thing reaches absolute zero.” Backing up, the blond began to cast an ice spell of his own.

Despite their situation, Noctis still managed to sigh in annoyance. He did not like being forced to do something with Niveus' aid. Surely he would have been able to keep the monster distracted long enough on his own. Why bother having someone else help who would more likely get in the way rather than be useful.

Pushing any further thoughts from his mind, Noctis charged forward to the monster, Niveus a second behind. No longer preoccupied with the first magic attack, the magma beast searched around for a target, and focused on those nearest it. As it loomed above the two, another ice attack shot through the air. Roaring in pain, the monster whirled around and began to head for those that were casting spells.

“Over here!” taunted Noctis as he sliced through one of the back legs. At the same time, Niveus had hurried over to the other side of the monster and severed the other back leg. A roar that sounded like a mix of pain and surprise escaped the monster as it fell to the ground with a resounding  _ thud _ . Magma flowed from the wounds like blood would have from a person. Since no ice spells had hit that part of the monster yet, fresh magma poured out and formed new limbs for the beast. Enraged, it rounded about on Niveus.

Cursing under his breath, Noctis tried to get to her side quickly and safely. This is what he was afraid of happening. And getting to her now was much more difficult than it would have otherwise been. The heat radiating off the monster seemed to have increased tenfold, making it hard to move around it without getting caught in the intense heat and passing out. Even Niveus seemed to be having trouble in her current situation. The monster loomed above her, forcing her to back up farther and farther until she was at the edge of the ground.

“ _ Now _ !” shouted Ignis. Icicles shot through the air as though they were bullets. They broke through the hard shell of the monster and reached deep inside the magma. Crying out in pain, the monster thrashed about. Taking that moment, Niveus got out of the monster's path while the temperature was not so hot. Breathing harder than normal, she reached a safe distance and watched as the ice began to take effect on the monster.

Everyone watched with baited breath to see if it was enough. The monster clawed at its own cooling skin, as though it was trying to get the ice out. No matter what it tried, the monster could not reach the roots of the spell. Working its magic, the ice spells began to freeze the monster from the inside out. The longer it tried to struggle in vain, the slower its movements became. Once enough time had passed, the monster was completely frozen in a prison of ice.

“Did we get it?” asked Prompto hopefully. Noctis stared at the monster. It did not feel like the battle was over to him. Gripping the hilt of his sword, the Prince hurried forward and jumped into the air above the frozen monster. This battle would only be over once it was completely destroyed. Given enough time, the heat of the place would probably melt the ice and this would start all over again. Sword poised to strike, he brought it down with all his might.

Ice cracked as his blade was jammed into the monster's back. Where a cry would have normally pierced the air from the monster was eerily silent as the others watched to see what would happen. Cracks began to spread all over the monster, radiating out from where Noctis had attacked. Not wanting to be that close to the action, he quickly leapt from the back of the monster and landed near his friends, turning to watch what would then happen.

Much like the what had happened to the Crystal nights before, the cracks in the ice spread all over the surface, each one reaching deep. His attack had hardly been superficial. Once all of the ice was cracked, it shattered, sending shards, specks, and even larger pieces of ice shooting out all over the place.

But the ice was not the only thing that had been shattered.

Frozen solid, the monster had also cracked with the ice and now clumps of it were sent flying along with the ice. With how the flakes of ice glistened in the warm light, it almost looked beautiful for a moment. At the very least, it brought relief in this hot cavern to the companions.

“I think we got it,” commented Noctis, trying hard to hold back a smirk. They had won.

“Look!” called out Gladiolus, pointing up. The others looked to where the scarred man had gestured to.

“Is that...?” breathed out Prompto, a grin splitting across his face.

Ignis nodded as he continued to stare at the object. “I think it is.” While all the shards of ice had fallen down by now, one remained hanging in the air. But, unlike the other ice, this remained unaffected by the heat. It glinted in the light as it slowly lowered towards the ground.

“The Crystal Shard,” whispered Noctis as he began to walk towards it.

“So, was that thing inside that monster the whole time?” questioned Prompto.

“I do believe now that the power of the shard created this mess in the first place.” Ignis calmly pushed his glasses back up.

As the Crystal Shard neared the ground, Noctis held out a hand towards it, and waited. He could not begin to describe how relieved he felt that they had retrieved it, and not that green-haired man. Inches away from his hand, the shard glowed so brightly that they all had to close their eyes as they waited for it to pass. After a moment, the Prince looked back and gasped. The shard was no longer there. Spinning around, he looked between his friends to see if any of them knew where it went, but stopped when his gaze fell onto Niveus.

The Crystal Shard hung before the woman, glowing faintly. Slowly, flakes of the shard began to break off and were absorbed by the one that rested around Niveus' neck. Hers glowed brighter for a moment, but soon returned to normal once the second shard was gone.

“Well, that's handy,” remarked Prompto. “At least now we won't have to worry about lugging around a ton of shards with us!” Gladiolus laughed softly while Ignis nodded.

Noctis sighed and looked away, not wanting any of them to see his bitter expression. All his life, he had been connected to the Crystal. He had protected it and wielded its power with respect. Now he was being passed over for this woman? As much as he tried not to, he could not help but feel some resentment towards Niveus. Even when he tried to tell himself that it was not her fault, that the Crystal had just so happened to bind itself to her, the jealousy remained.

At least they had gathered another shard. That much the Prince could take comfort in. With it now in their possession, he could sense others out there. They all called for help from the two shards they had, each wanting to become whole again.

“Aw, man!” cried out Prompto. The others all looked to him, wondering what could possibly be wrong now.

“What is it?” asked Gladiolus.

“There was no girl with this shard!” The other three men sighed while Niveus just blinked in confusion. Shrugging it off, Prompto placed a hand on her shoulder. “Well, guess you're our one and only for now.”

The Prince ran a hand down his face and groaned. He was very glad that this shard had not been bound to anyone if it meant someone else would have to tag along. Not to mention, despite the fact that he resented Niveus, he did not want anyone else to go through the same thing as her. While there was no telling if other people would be affected by a Crystal Shard differently, going by the examples they had, it certainly could not be a pleasant experience.

“C'mon,” sighed Noctis, placing his sword over his back. “Let's get out of this place.”

 

* * *

 

Favouring his left arm, the green-haired man hurried along through the halls. As he pulled open a door before him, he did not slow down. The room he had entered into was void of people save for a lone figure that stood by a window. Outlined by the glow of the setting sun, the figure seemed more like a statue than a person.

“How did it go, Lysander?” asked the figure, his voice deep and steady.

Shifting his weight uncomfortably, the man named Lysander glanced down. “The Prince and his friends showed up as I was trying to retrieve the shard, like you thought they might, Creon.” Lysander looked up, expecting to see Creon with a look of rage on his face. But the dark-haired man continued to stare out the window, acting like he did not hear the report at all. “There...was this other woman with them, though.”

Creon seemed to twitch slightly. “A woman?”

“Yes. She looked unnaturally pale. But, the oddest thing was the necklace she wore. It looked like it was a Crystal Shard.” That caught the leader's attention. Turning around, Creon's black eyes peered at Lysander.

“A Crystal Shard, you say?” Though his expression remained a mask, his voice had given away just how interested he truly was. Lysander nodded, relieved that Creon was not angered. “How interesting, I did not expect this to happen...” Cupping his chin in his hand, Creon returned to looking out the window. “Worry not about the shard. Let that foolish Prince and his friends scurry around as they try to restore their Crystal. They will be able to find the shards faster than us, so we shall allow them to do the hard work.” Raising a hand, he stared through the Crystal Shard that he held to the light outside. The warm light refracted through it, making the shard appear full of power. Much to his luck, one of the shards had appeared near his headquarters and was quickly recovered. This was the shard that he had in his possession. “That blasted Crystal shattering may have made us change our course of action, but I think things will work out just wonderfully.” Light glinted into his dark eyes from the shard. A malicious smile curled at the corner of his lips.

“Yes...I think things shall work out quite well...”

 


	4. Heal

The scenery raced on past them. Fields changed to trees. Trees changed to fields. Cities rose up and drifted back down. Every place they passed was much the same as the stretch prior to it. Driving along the roads was expected to provide such scenery. Ever since they had retrieved their second Crystal Shard, they had been able to drive across Solheim since renting a care had been available. With it now in their possession, getting to the places they had to reach took only a day or two.

Over the past week, they had collected three more shards. With each shard came the hope that they might just be able to pull this whole thing off. Though they still had no idea how many shards there were in total, they could take comfort in the fact that they were at least finding and collecting the parts of their Crystal. For Noctis, though, there was more than just that hope. With each shard he felt a little more complete. There was still a long way to go, that much he could tell, but it was at least a start.

Even with five shards now in their possession, the Prince was still frustrated. No matter how many times he tried, the broken pieces of the Crystal would not answer his calls. They were there—he could constantly feel their power—but it was as though a barrier had been placed between him and the shards that kept him from using his abilities like normal. Only one other time from when they came across the first Crystal Shard had he momentarily been able to use its power. That had been in battle for the fourth shard. Much like the first time, Noctis had not intended to use the power at all, it had just happened, as if by instinct. Part of him could not help but think he would mind it less if he could constantly not use his abilities, rather than being taunted like this.

Noctis' gaze shifted from the road in front of them to the rear-view mirror for a second. His eyes fell onto the woman in their group before they returned to the road. Sitting quietly in the back, she acted like a wall between Gladiolus and Prompto that somehow managed to keep them from bickering during the drive. Each shard they collected still went to her. No matter what Noctis tried, the shards would not go to him once they were freed. Still he resented her for it, even though he tried to tell himself not to. That was much easier said than done.

Over the past week, it had gradually become possible to have more than a couple  words with Niveus, too. For whatever reason, she was becoming more open. To other people, she would have seemed quiet and withdrawn, but to the four of them, they had noticed the slight change. There were a couple theories they had to explain this change. Prompto liked to think that it was due to spending time with them; that she was merely picking up on how they dealt with matters throughout the days. Ignis, however, believed that it was somehow connected to the Crystal Shards. It was only when they collected a new shard did she seem to become more...human. There was no way to prove or disprove either theory. All they knew was that she was acting less and less like some robot.

“Hey...what's up with this place?” asked Prompto as he peered out his window. He had voiced what they had all begun to think. There was something...odd about the town they had entered.

“Where are all the people?” pondered Gladiolus. Slowing down the car, Noctis gave them time to study the place more. The streets and sidewalks were completely deserted. There was not another person in sight. The only relief they got from the town was the fact that lights of various buildings were on, so they knew it was at least not some ghost town. Still...it was rather unsettling to see no one outside this early in the evening.

“Perhaps there's a curfew in place?” Noctis thought aloud. That could very well explain why no one was out at this hour, but...

“There's no one out to enforce the curfew,” remarked Ignis.

Quietly, Niveus muttered, “There's something strange here...”

“Strange? Well, then I guess that's proof that a shard's nearby!” grinned Prompto as he clapped Niveus on her shoulder. The blond then looked up to the Prince. “Right? You  _ did _ say there should be a shard around.”

Noctis gave a quiet sigh. He would have thought them able to take his word on the matter after having found five shards already and not being wrong once. “There is one by this place. No doubt about it.”

“Where should we go to first?” asked Gladiolus. “Not as though we can just ask the people on the street...”

“We find an inn and try tomorrow.”

“What?! It's not even that  _ late _ yet!” blurted out Prompto as he leaned forward. “Look around, there are still people up! We should try checking somewhere else first.”

“And just where would that be then?”

“How 'bout a bar? I'm sure a place like that would still have people in it at this hour. Not to mention if any place'll have information, it's gonna be there.”

Noctis winced inwardly. He was never really one for going out to such places. Sparing a glance, he looked over to Ignis to see if his friend had an opinion.

Pushing up his glasses, the brunet gave a light shrug. “Seems reasonable enough. Plus, it's not as though we have much else we can do at the moment.”

A sigh escaped the Prince as he turned down another street. “Fine.”

“Wow, way to show enthusiasm there, Noct,” sighed Prompto. If he was in a bitter mood for having his request second-guessed, he did not remain like that for long. “Don't go drinking too much, Gladiolus.” Resting his chin on his hand, Prompto shot a smirk over to their scarred friend.

Gladiolus let out a gruff huff. “And don't you go flirting with the girls that may be there. We have a  _ job _ to do, y'know.”

A wicked grin crossed the blond's face as he leaned back against the seat. “I promise nothing.”

In the front, both Noctis and Ignis sighed as the bickering between the two friends in the back rose. Whatever barrier had been there from Niveus for the past while was now gone. Unsure of what to do in this situation, the pale woman sank back in her seat, not saying a word in case it only made matters worse. For people who were friends, it confused her as to why they seemed to argue so much amongst themselves.

It was eerie to travel along the deserted streets. Though lights were on, there was no other sign of life in the place. Being so silent, it was hard to believe that anyone lived there. Surely the noise of their car was disturbing whatever peace their might have been.

“Here looks good!” announced Gladiolus as Noctis slowed down. Sure enough, a building on their right had a sign that said  _ Gilbert's Tavern _ . As the car rolled to a stop, their scarred friend quickly jumped out. Prompto was quick to follow, the other three soon joining the two once the car's engine was turned off. The last three barely had gotten out before Prompto hurried on into the tavern. “If he says he's just eager to get information, I'm gonna punch him.”

Calmly, Ignis placed a hand on Gladiolus' shoulder. “It won't hurt to let him have a little fun on this journey. As long as he doesn't blab about any of our information, we'll be fine.”

Gladiolus huffed and crossed his arms in annoyance. “Noct, whaddaya say?”

The Prince could only shrug as he headed up to the door of the tavern. “It's like Ignis says. So let's just get in there and make sure his tongue isn't loosened.” He had barely walked five steps inside the tavern when he was forced to stop. Bumping into Prompto' back, Noctis grumbled out something before stepping to the side. “What're you still standing by the door for?” questioned the dark-haired Prince as he shot a look to his friend.

“The look I got when I entered this place...” Prompto gave a light shudder. “Rather unsettling.”

Frowning, Noctis wanted to give a dry laugh at his friend's answer as he looked around. It was not every day that Prompto lost his nerves over something like a mere glance. Though, once Noctis soaked in their surroundings...he could understand why his friend had grown uncomfortable.

The place was dead silent. If a pencil had dropped, it would have seemed as loud as a canon being fired. The few men inside the tavern studied their group over the rims of various drinks. For the most part, their gazes seemed to be a mix of surprise and distrust. It gave those from Lucis the impression that this place did not get too many visitors. After an unnerving few moments, chatter rose back up as the men in the tavern resumed whatever it was they had been talking about.

“This was your idea, pal,” grinned Gladiolus as he gave Prompto a light shove towards the bar. The blond stumbled forward for a moment before clearing his throat and regaining his composure. Taking the lead, he headed up to the bar, his other friends close behind.

The bartender eyed the group of five before he headed over to them, cleaning a mug as he did. “Whaddaya guys want to drink?” Going first, Prompto ordered himself a drink, followed by Gladiolus and Ignis. Noctis, however, did not order anything. A silence fell as the bartender's eyes fell onto Niveus. The pale woman stared blankly back at the bartender who awaited some sort of order.

Letting out a  short laugh, Prompto was quick to say, “She'll have the same as me.” The bartender gave them an odd stare before going to get them their drinks. Breathing out slowly, as if to calm his nerves further, Prompto took a seat at he bar while the others continued to stand.

“You guys from some place far away?” asked out a man with a scraggly beard who sat further down the bar. Peering up from his drink, his dark eyes studied them. Though it looked like he had had a number of drinks already, the man was surprisingly coherent.

“Who wants to know?” Gladiolus raised an eyebrow at the old man.

“Max. Happy?” The scraggly man took a long swig from his drink. “Still, you guys can't be from around here.”

“And what gave you that impression?”

A hoarse laugh escaped Max. “Even those from nearby towns and such no not to go wandering out at night here.” Before they could ask anything more at the moment, the bartender handed out the four drinks to them. Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto all took sips from their drinks while Niveus stared at hers, unsure what to do with it.

“What...is this?” Niveus blinked a couple times in confusion.

Prompto gave a quick laugh before clapping the pale woman on her shoulder. “It's called alcohol, Niv. Give it a try!”

Uncertain of how to proceed, she stared down at the glass in her hands, her skin becoming cold from the drink. Looking up from it, she watched as the other three continued to slowly down their drinks. Her gaze then shifted to Noctis. He had been watching her, but quickly looked away. Rolling his eyes, he seemed rather annoyed. Here they were teaching Niveus how to drink while they should have been gathering information. His deep-blue eyes shifted back over to her once he felt her gaze no longer on him. Tentatively, she brought the drink to her lips and took a sip.

Immediately, she coughed, put her glass down on the bar, and covered her mouth. Prompto snorted out a laugh into his drink and even Ignis and Gladiolus could not help but chuckle at her reaction. Her cheeks flushed as she continued to cough, trying to get the burning sensation from her mouth. Off to the side, Noctis could not help but smirk a little. True, he knew not everyone could stand alcohol, but it had been some time since he had seen such a response.

“H-how can you guys drink that stuff?” she asked, her voice muffled for a moment before she pulled her hand away.

A grin split across Prompto's face. “You get used to it. Don't worry, I'll finish your drink.”

Coughing to grab their attention, Noctis gave a flat stare at his friends. “So, this is the information we're getting?” asked the Prince dryly.

Nervously, Prompto let out a weak chuckle. “Relax, man, I got it covered.” The blond waved a hand to dismiss the matter. Finishing off his drink, he then looked over to the man who had spoken to them. “Hey, Max!” he called out. The scraggly man coughed into his drink and looked up. “Why don't people go out at night in this place?”

Max seemed to shudder at the thought. “Monsters, man, monsters. Lots of them.” He took a long swig from his drink while those from Lucis could only stare in confusion. Noctis rose an eyebrow at the man before he looked around. Was that the reason why this town seemed so deserted at night? Sure, monsters could be bad, but towns or cities and such were not built near areas that had a lot of terrible monsters. Even if they ever did bother a place, those beasts would be taken care of.

“And this is out of the ordinary?”

The scraggly man barked out a coarse laugh before he took a swig from his drink again, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Damn right it's outta the ordinary! Couple weeks ago, the monsters in the forest start acting like they're possessed or somethin'!” Max growled some curse under his breath. “They started to attack us almost every night, while before they would always leave us alone—unless someone went off and bugged them, but you know how monsters are.”

“So that' why the streets are so deserted?” Prompto seemed rather unimpressed by the story. Truth be, so were the others. Was this place incapable of handling monsters that attacked them? “Have you  _ tried _ killing the monsters?”

“We have!” huffed back Max in defence. “People go out trying to kill them for rewards. But when one falls, two more seem to replace it! There's just no end to them!”

“That's certainly some problem,” muttered Ignis thoughtfully. Finished with his drink, he placed the glass down on the bar. Though he was as unimpressed as Prompto over the matter, he at least still felt some sympathy for the people that lived here. As if the cold war was not bad enough, they now had more problems to deal with.

“If I were you guys, I wouldn't stay here for any longer than needed.”

“Thanks for the tip,” sighed Noctis as he turned for the door. He did not really see them getting any other information that night. And if monsters were really attacking the town at night, then the sooner they got a room to stay in, the better. He tapped his nearest friend on the shoulder and waved for the others to follow. “C'mon, let's go.”

Noctis was glad to be out of that place. Not only had it felt like a waste of time to him, but he had started to get a headache while in there. Monsters... He had to hold back a scoff at the idea. Hopefully once morning came, they would be able to talk to other people, rather than just a man who seemed like drinking was one of his hobbies. After they climbed into the car, he hurried off to find some place they could stay for the night. The receptionist was just as surprised at guests as those inside the tavern were.

Letting out a muffled moan, Prompto quickly claimed a bed as he toppled onto it. Gladiolus kicked off his boots as he sat down on the other one, with Ignis sitting on the edge of the bed while Noctis claimed the chair.

“Could the monsters' attacks be related to a Crystal Shard?” asked Niveus as she waited patiently by the door. There were matters they needed to discuss before they could rest for the night. Though Noctis did not see it that way. Why would a bunch of monsters be affected by it? With all the past shards they had collected, they had always been connected to a single entity, not a group. It was clear to him that they would simply have to ask elsewhere in the morning.

“Monsters attacking this place right around when the Crystal shattered?” began Prompto as he pulled himself up. “Seems like a little too much of a coincidence for me. Right, Noct?” The blond looked over to his friend. Fingers laced together, the dark-haired Prince rested his chin on the back of them, letting out a light grunt in response. It was true. The timing of the town's problem could connect it to the shattering of the Crystal, but it still did not feel right to him.

“Perhaps it is not the monsters themselves, but rather something that is controlling them that has been affected by the Crystal Shard,” offered Ignis. All eyes fell on him as he pushed up his glasses calmly. Noctis blinked a couple times. That theory did make more sense to the Prince. Perhaps the tavern had not been a complete waste of time after all.

“Either way, we'll deal with it in the morning.” Sighing, Gladiolus placed his hands behind his head and leaned against the headboard.

“Yeah, not much we can do about it now!” laughed out Prompto.

Niveus looked over the four of them before she dipped her head. “Good night.” Seeing that the small discussion was over, the pale woman excused herself and left to retire in her room for the evening. Noctis remained silent as she left while the other three men said their good nights to her as well. Raising his gaze up from the floor, the Prince eyed her skeptically as she exited the room.

“I still don't get it...” he murmured quietly once the door closed behind her.

“I know what you mean, man,” sighed out Prompto. That caught Noctis' attention. Looking up, he stared at his blond friend in surprise. How could he have known what Noctis was talking about? Well, so there was the chance Prompto could have thought about the same thing at some point, but Noctis did not see that happening. “Why does she get a room to herself again?” And with that, Noctis nearly smacked his hand against his face. Of course that would be what  Prompto was referring to. “Ouch!” The blond was quickly reduced to rubbing his arm. “That  _ hurt _ !”

Gladiolus sighed and straightened back up from having to reach over to his friend. “Because she deserves some privacy, okay?” Placing his arms behind his head again, the scarred man leaned back against the headboard. “So what don't you get, Noct?”

The Prince shook his head lightly to regain his train of thought. “I mean it doesn't make sense,” he said instead.

“ _ What _ doesn't make sense?”

Sighing, Noctis leaned back in the chair. His brow furrowed, he stared over to where Niveus had been standing moments ago. “Out of all the Crystal Shards we've come across, how come the one bound to Niveus is the only one that's a piece of jewelry? All others have just been some shard before they join hers.” The others stared at him silently. Judging by their expressions, he could tell that none of them had given it much thought. Truth be, he had not either until they came across the fifth shard. Since then, he could not keep it from nagging quietly in the back of his mind. “It seems...odd.”

“But, Noct...” began Ignis. The other three looked to him as he crossed his arms pensively. “She's also the only  _ person _ we've come across so far who's been bound to a shard. All others have been connected to either monsters or some part of nature.”

A dry laugh escaped Prompto as he rubbed the back of his neck. “And how weird is  _ that _ ? Man, I'm still finding splinters left by that whacked-out tree!” He groaned as he lay down on the bed. Holding up his hands, he seemed to check them for the splinters he spoke of.

Ignis raised an eyebrow momentarily at Prompto before returning his attention to Noctis. “We've only found five shards in total now. How many more do you think are out there?”

Meekly, Noctis glanced off to the side. “I can't tell.” He slowly clenched his hand into a fist. The hole he felt inside of him was barely mended at all from the shards they had gathered up so far. If five shards only mended it that much...then he knew there were many still out there.

Ignis nodded as though that was the answer he was hoping for. “Who knows. Maybe when a Crystal Shard is bound to a person, that is more of the norm. We can't say unless we come across someone else that has a shard bound to them.”

Noctis gave a slightly exasperated sigh. His friend was right. It was unfair to judge when they had such little data. Though, he still stood by his previous thoughts on not wanting to come across anyone else who was bound to a shard like Niveus was. In the end, he hoped that her Crystal Shard being a piece of jewelry remained an oddity.

 

Once morning came, they took their leave of the inn. When the five of them got outside, they stared on in amazement. It was as though the entire town had transformed over night. People crowded the streets and sidewalks, many laughing or chatting with others as they went about their daily business. Had Noctis and the others arrived during the day, they would have clearly gotten a very different impression of the town.

“Is this even the same place?” asked Prompto as they headed off down the street that led towards the forest. “You'd never guess they'd be like this after what that guy went on about!”

“I guess they feel safe during the day,” remarked Ignis.

A sigh came from Gladiolus as he crossed his arms. “I dunno... Something just doesn't feel right about this...”

“You too, huh?” murmured Noctis. He could not place a finger on it, but something did feel off about the town. No, it was not the town itself, or the people in it, but rather like something was looming over the horizon. Silently, patiently, it was waiting for the right moment to strike. But, it was not like there was really anything they could do about that feeling.

After some discussion—and by discussion, it was Noctis not taking no for an answer—the group of five decided to talk to more townspeople before they would check on the monsters in the forest. Though it seemed plausible to the others, Noctis still wanted more opinions on the situation. But, no matter who they asked, as soon as they asked for something odd, the only thing people would talk about were the monster attacks. There was nothing else.

“Convinced yet?” Prompto could not help but keep the smugness from his voice once they had asked several people. The information they had gathered last night, thanks to his plan, was looking like it had been all they needed. Noctis raised an eyebrow and gave his friend an unamused stare. There was no harm in verifying what they had learned last night. Besides, as much as a part of him was wanting to check anything that could be related to a Crystal Shard in the slightest, another part of him still believed this would be a waste of time.

“Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this over with. I'd rather not stay for another night.” Noctis sighed lightly and crossed his arms, as if to say that matter was done with.

“Aw, is someone afraid of the monsters?”

“ _ What _ ?!” The Prince nearly stumbled at the unexpected remark.

A smirk was tugging at the corners of Prompto's lips as he slowed down. Reaching Niveus' side, he placed a hand up beside his mouth as if to keep what he was about to say a secret. However, with how he spoke, it was clear he wanted the others to hear. “Poor guy, always been afraid of such things. When he was younger, he wasn't even able to sleep in the dark; always needed a nightlight.”

Noctis quickly became flustered. He may not have liked it when his friends told others stuff about him, but it was even worse when that stuff was not true. “Tha-that's hardly the truth!” he huffed, not bringing himself to look back at Niveus or his friend. When he had been younger, there had been something he was afraid of...but neither monsters nor the darkness of the night were it. The pale woman looked between the two. She did not know which to believe. Though she now seemed more like a normal human, there were many things she still did not understand.

“Ah ah ah!” Prompto waved a finger in Noctis' direction. “Don't you deny it!”

The Prince began to chew on his bottom lip in annoyance. He knew that no matter how much he argued with Prompto, his friend would not back down from this. There had to be something he could do to get the blond to stop... It was then a smirk tugged at his own lips. Remaining calm and collected, Noctis glanced over his shoulder slyly to his friend.

“Say, Prompto, how old were you when you stopped wetting your bed? What was it, around thirteen or something?”

It was Prompto's turn to fumble and become flustered. “Quit spouting lies!” he retorted back. Laughter erupted from Gladiolus at the blond's reaction, while Ignis quietly chuckled. Even Noctis could not help but let out a snort in success. Prompto had been partially right though: the Prince was not sure if what he said was true or not. But, judging by Prompto's reaction, he could not help but being to suspect.

Much like after Prompto's teasing to Noctis, Niveus remained quiet. She looked between the four men and wondered just what was so funny. The one person they had been trying to convince walked quietly on, paying no real attention to the squabble between friends. Noctis did not really care, though. He had gotten his revenge on Prompto, and that was what counted to him.

Suddenly, Niveus stopped in her tracks. The laughter then died down once they noticed she was no longer at their side. “Hey, Niv, what's wrong?” asked Prompto. Noctis rose an eyebrow for a moment at the others before scoffing lightly under his breath. There was no time to be stopping for minor things.

“Did you guys hear that?” Pausing, the others became quiet, waiting for any noise that could be what she was referring to. For a while, there was nothing. Then...

“Was...that a howl?” Prompto's face scrunched up slightly in surprise. When they looked around, the five of them saw the townspeople starting to grow concerned as the howls became louder. In a matter of seconds,they soon saw what it was that was causing all the trouble. A wave of lupine-esque monsters tore through the streets like a mindless horde. Anyone who did not get out of their way was quickly torn down.

“So much for them being attacked only at night!” Gladiolus let out a groan as he pulled forth his mighty axe.

“Maybe they decided to step things up a notch,” grinned Prompto as he took aim with his shotgun. A loud  _ bang _ filled the air as the blond begun their attack. The rounds pierced the first monster they came into contact with. Yelping, the lupine monster tumbled to the ground, and did not rise. Those around it continued to plow onward, not paying any attention to their fallen member of the pack. “Well! That's nice! They're not some indestructible horde of possessed monsters, or something!”

Ignis pushed up his glasses, readied his weapons, and glanced over to Prompto. “It is a pleasant change from what we've had to deal with recently.”

“Chyeh, let's just get this mess cleaned up!” Gladiolus whirled his weapon around before charging for the fiends. Only Noctis lingered behind for a moment as the others joined the scarred man. Raising an eyebrow, he watched as they all entered the fray. He wondered why they were wasting time on such nonsense when they should be searching for the Crystal Shard. A disapproving frown crossed his face before he sighed and slumped his shoulders. There was not much he could do to change the mind of his friends. Drawing forth his sword, Noctis was quick to join the others in battle before there were no monsters left to fight.

Teeth met steel. Though they seemed to be killed quickly enough, the lupine monsters were not weak foes. Their massive jaws could bite around their weapons, rendering them useless for a few precious seconds in which another could jump in for an attack. Prompto, with his ranged weapon, was making sure to stay clear of the teeth and claws, killing them only as fast as he could reload. With each shot meant another fiend had fallen.

Thanks to his mighty ax, there was much distance between Gladiolus and the monsters that lunged for him. The sharp blade of the axe cut through their hide like it was nothing. A pile of the monsters began to form in a circle around the scarred man.

Ignis' twin blades whirled around with an immense speed. If a fiend got too close, he was quick to dispatch it. A curse escaped under his breath when too many lunged for him at once. Acting swiftly, he managed to cast a fire spell before he would have been in trouble. The stench of burning fur and flesh filled the air, and for a moment, Ignis wished he had cast a different spell.

Light on her feet, Niveus danced out of the way of teeth and claws alike. Once safe, she was quick to parry. Each blade on either end of her spear found a target, downing two with one attack. Using the force of each attack that killed, she sent the dead bodies of the monsters flying into their brethren, causing others to fall down and become easier targets.

Blood rolled down the blade of Noctis' sword. With each slash, droplets flew off and splattered the ground. Thick steel pierced through the monsters that focused on him. In this flurry, he did not care whether or not he killed the lupine fiends or merely rendered them incapable of fighting further. He only wanted to get the matter over with. The more he fought, the more he wished the Crystal would answer his calls. Had he had its power at his disposal, the fight would have lasted only moments rather than minutes.

Barely having broken a sweat from the fight, Noctis stood straight once no more monsters were left standing. It was in that moment he saw that some of the townspeople had joined in the fighting as well. At least they were not so afraid as to run and hide and not do a thing about it.

“Well, that's one way to make sure you're awake in the morning,” yawned out Prompto as he stretched his arms above his head. A wry chuckle escaped the Prince when he nodded in agreement.

“Shame though,” sighed Gladiolus, slinging his axe over his shoulder. “None of them had the shard.” Noctis' eyebrows twitched as he withheld his comment. If they had just waited and spoken to him before charging in to fight, he could have told them that.

“Whatever has the Crystal Shard is still out there. These guys were merely pawns.” Ignis tugged at his jacket, smoothing out any wrinkles that had appeared while fighting.

Prompto's face scrunched up as he scratched his head. “But what made them attack during the day?” Biting the inside of his cheek, Noctis stole a glance in Niveus' direction. More importantly, to the Crystal Shard that hung around her neck. The reason why the monsters attacked now...could they be the reason?

“Gather up anyone else who is able and will join us!” called out a man. Confused, those from Lucis looked around for the one who had spoken. It was rather easy to find him for the man already had a small audience circled around him. Seemed like he had moved quickly to snag their attention. “We'll finish these fiends off once and for all!” Raising his weapon above his head, the crowd around him cheered in agreement before carrying out his plan.

“Well, this changes things up a bit,” remarked Ignis.

Prompto looked to his friend and raised an eyebrow. “How does  _ this _ change things?”

“They seem intent on killing the rest of the monsters that remain in the forest. And what if they happen to come across the Crystal Shard before we do?”

“Then we'll just ta—” Noctis quickly bit off the rest of his sentence. It was one thing to kill the various monsters that were infused with the power of a shard they had come across, but what would they do if they ever needed to take it from a person?

Noctis glanced back to Niveus from the corner of his eye, who continued to stand quietly as she waited for them to decide upon the next course of action. He definitely did not want anyone else joining them if they could help it. But...would they have to do the same to a person as they did to the monsters if they wanted only the shard? Would they have to kill someone? Huffing under his breath, Noctis looked in the direction of the forest, scolding himself for even thinking of such a thing. He did not want to bring their Crystal back home if it had been bathed in the blood of the innocent.

“Let's just hurry up and get the Crystal Shard before anyone else does, okay?”

 

 

The five companions trekked on through the forest. It was a rather...gloomy place. Everything seemed overgrown and quite old. With all the trees that rose up and blocked the light of the sun, very little undergrowth covered the ground. On top of that, there seemed to be an unnatural darkness that clung to everything. Monsters also lurked in the shadows, but they were no great threat.

Moving quickly, Noctis led them through the forest towards where he was certain the Crystal Shard was located. It had been a while since they last saw anyone from the town. They seemed more intent on purging the entire forest rather than searching for a specific target like the five of them were.

“Are we there yet?” whined Prompto.

Noctis sighed and rolled his eyes. “No,” he huffed, not bothering to look back. That was now the sixth time Prompto had asked the question. It was not so bad as having him ask it all the time, but it still annoyed the Prince. With there being nothing but wild forest around them, could the blond not tell that the Crystal Shard was not around?

They continued on in silence, none of the other men wanting to make Noctis' mood worse and Niveus...well, she was Niveus. For the past few days, Noctis' mood had seemed to be getting worse and worse, and their current predicament did not help it. None of them there knew why the Prince had been in a foul mood recently. Not even Noctis knew why himself. Perhaps it was the lingering thought of his home slowly collapsing. Perhaps it because they had to travel all over the place to collect an endless amount of shards. Perhaps it was the fact that the one thing he thought would be in life forever was now gone. Or maybe it was everything combined. Whatever it was, it did not leave the Prince in a cheery mood.

“Here,” he announced, stopping in his tracks after a while. His friends were quick to stop by his side before taking a look around.

“ _ Here _ ?”

“Here.” Drawing forth his sword, Noctis gestured to the cave in front of them.

“Well, at least no one from the town is around,” remarked Gladiolus. Seeing that Noctis was readying for the worst, he too readied his axe.

“Do we have to go in?” asked Ignis. As if in response to his question, a deep growl escaped from the mouth of the cave.

“I don't think we have to.” Brushing some of her hair back of her shoulder once finished, Niveus twirled her weapon around to show she was ready.

“So, any bets on what kind of monster it is?” asked Prompto, smirking lightly. “I put fifty Gil on some creature made from rock. Y'know, being in a cave and all.”

A scoff escaped Gladiolus. “How 'bout another tree thing?  _ And _ you wind up getting more splinters.” Prompto seemed to shudder at his friend's bet. The splinters he had already gotten were bad enough.

“Tch, are you guys serious?” Ignis pushed up his glasses as he glanced back to his friends. “It will clearly be related to what we fought in town.”

“Oho, you sound so confident, Ignis. All the better when I win,” teased Prompto.

“We'll find out who wins soon enough,” finished Noctis. The Prince had certainly been correct. The ground beneath their feet began to rumble. It was not like the rumbling they felt while inside the volcano last week, but rather like something massive was shaking the ground with each step.

Another growl came from the mouth of the cave, and this time, the source of it was much closer to them. Slowly, the monster came into view. The first thing they saw were its eyes. They reflected what light reached deep inside the cave and seemed to glow. Next was the drool that glistened as it fell from the monster's maw. It fell in globs and vanished from sight once it landed on the ground. At last, parts of its body slipped into the light as it exited from the cave.

Massive claws dug into the earth, tearing up the forest floor with each step it took. Large jaws protruded from its head with rows of razor-sharp fangs barred at its prey. The body of the monster seemed as large as a behemoth, perhaps larger, but that was not what this fiend was. It essentially looked like a gigantic version of the lupine-esque monsters they fought back in the town.

“You owe me fifty Gil.” There was almost a hint of smugness in Ignis' voice, which was quite rare. He had won the bet, after all.

An annoyed groan escaped Prompto. “Yeah, yeah.  _ After _ we kill this thing!”

Once it was fully emerged from the cave, it became clear that this monster was not normal. Atop its back were several large crystalline protrusions. They sparkled in the faint trickle of light that made it through the canopy. Pulsating in rhythm with the creature's own life force, Noctis suspected that they were, in fact, connected to the Crystal Shard. Rearing its head back, the monster let forth an ear-splitting howl. It was so loud that the five of them were forced to cover their ears. His head still ringing from the noise, the Prince then heard more howls join in the mix.

The massive monster was not alone.

Appearing out of almost no where, more of the lupine monsters surrounded them. There were not as many as there had been in the town, but there were enough to prove troublesome.

“I'll take care of the smaller ones!” announced Niveus. Spinning around, she changed her focus of attention from the massive monster to the smaller foes.

“Ignis! You help her!” ordered Noctis before he dashed forward. Surely this would be a fairly simple hack-and-slash fight. There did not seem to be anything special about these monsters after all. Once their hides were broken through, the fiends fell easily enough. All this would take was time; that he was certain of.

From behind, Noctis heard Prompto once again start the fight with a shot from his gun. Aim true, the rounds pierced the weaker flesh of the monster's face. Where the smaller monsters would have fallen, this one remained standing. Snarling, the beast swiped at its face, momentarily distracted from the attack. Taking that opening, Noctis sent his blade slicing through the air straight for one of the forelegs. Steel cut through hide and blood spurted out.

Or rather...it would have.

A curse escaped under Noctis' breath as his sword barely seemed to scratch the hide of the monster. This beast was more than just a giant version of its smaller cousins. While they toppled in no more than a strike or two, this monster would not be defeated so easily. The snarl barely registered with the Prince before it swiped a giant paw at him. Bringing up his sword in time to defend, he cried out as he was sent flying back. A tree kept him from landing too far out of range.

“Noct!” yelled Gladiolus as he rushed to his friend's side. Four legs proved faster than two as the beast went charging past, focused intently on Noctis. Another  _ bang _ rang through the forest as Prompto sent out another shot, hoping it would either slow the monster down or at least take its attention of the Prince. Unlike before, the rounds did not hit a weak spot and most seemed to bounce off rather than pierce the flesh.

Pushing himself up as quickly as possible, Noctis hurried around the tree just as the massive maw of the beast came crashing down where he had been. He took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief as he heard the monster struggling with what it now had in its jaws instead of him. It was then he heard something else...something  _ hissing _ .

Moving back out into the open, the Prince saw just what the monster had done. Jaws nearly crunched the trunk of the tree into pieces, but that was not what made Noctis feel sick to his stomach. The area around the creature's mouth was  _ melting _ . That drool of the creature...it seemed like an acidic poison. What it could burn through, or what other kinds of damage it could cause, Noctis did not want to find out.

“Stay away from its mouth!” shouted Noctis as he moved out of the monster's sight.

“Really?  _ Never _ would have thought of that!” responded Prompto as he fired another round. Once again, it did not pierce a weak enough area and did minimal damage. Noctis could only scoff under his breath at his friend's blase reaction. Of course  _ he _ would be the one to not take it as seriously, with his ranged weapon. But the Prince and the others would have to be careful as they fought if they did not want to end up the creature's dinner.

Again he slashed at the monster with all his might. Again the sword barely did more than graze the monster. Again he cursed as he jumped back, not wanting to stay next to the monster for longer than he had to. Gladiolus rushed into his line of sight as the scarred man tested his axe against the hide of the monster. Yelling out, he buried the head of the axe deep into the haunches of the monster...or would have had its hide not been thicker than armor. Where Noctis' sword barely grazed the beast, though, Gladiolus' axe managed to do at least some visible damage.

The beast snarled as it suddenly whipped around, shaking its hindquarters with great persistence. Gladiolus was sent flying off from the sudden movement, landing a fair distance away. The creature barred its fangs and was about to chase after its prey when it suddenly howled out in pain. A patch of its torso erupted into flames. The fire burned without remorse. Instinctively, the monster rolled onto its side and tried to snuff the flames out.

It was in that moment that what seemed almost like a blur of white rushed up to the monster. Finished with the smaller fiends, Niveus had joined the battle. Jumping high, she plunged her weapon into the area that had been scorched by the flame. Much to their surprise, her weapon seemed to pierce the smouldering hide with ease.

“I think this tactic shall do,” remarked someone to the Prince's side. Noctis looked over and could not help but grin at Ignis. Hand outstretched, it was clear their bespectacled friend was the one who cast the fire spell. Ignis glanced over to Noctis and smirked lightly, the unsaid words of appreciation being passed between them. “Let's finish this, shall we?”

With a flourish of his hand, another fire sprouted on the creature's body. Flames licked at the air and monster alike, devouring anything that could be used as fuel. Another round from Prompto' shotgun was fired, and this time it was embedded deeply into the weakened flesh of the beast. Changing his hold on his sword, Noctis hurried to deal the most devastating blow he could muster while the monster's defences were broken.

While it had taken the monster moments to recover from the initial attack, it took less and less time with each blow. Blood began to stain the ground red from all the damage they were causing. They were mildly surprised that it was still able to move with its accumulation of wounds, thinking it should have fallen dead long ago. But still it continued to fight on. Another blast of fire consumed part of the monster and Gladiolus was the one to take that opening.

However, there was much more smoke from that spell than previously. In that confusion, the scarred man momentarily lost sight of their foe...and it cost him dearly.

“Gladiolus!” shouted out the other three men. A cry of pain escaped Gladiolus as the fangs of the beast pierced into his arm. The acidic poison seeped into him from the wounds, causing his entire arm to feel like it was burning. A yelp suddenly escaped the monster as a fire sprung to life directly on its face, consuming the eyeballs and other soft spots. It let go of its bite on Gladiolus before it could tear off his entire limb. Being the only one not stunned by what had happened, Niveus hurried forward, jumped up, and jammed her weapon deeply into the head of the monster.

The creature staggered back and forth for a moment, Niveus still holding on tight. With all her strength behind it, she forced her weapon in as far as it would go into the monster's brain. That blow was what they finally needed to bring down the massive beast. Without warning, it collapsed to the ground with such force that Niveus was jostled off and fell to the earth.

With the threat of the monster now gone, Noctis, Ignis, and Prompto hurried to where Gladiolus had fallen.

“Damn, that looks bad,” hissed Prompto once they saw the wound clearly. Gladiolus' face was twisted in pain, as all his might was probably being used to keep from screaming. Noctis cursed under his breath. Already the poison from the monster was beginning to eat away at Gladiolus' flesh. “C'mon, Ignis, heal him already!”

Ignis winced momentarily before shooting a look at Prompto. “You know I haven't learned any healing spells yet. What about  _ you _ ?”

Prompto let out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. “My cure spells kinda suck at the moment...”

Noctis sighed and rolled his eyes as the two began to bicker over the importance of learning healing spells. There were more pressing matters at hand than arguing! Kneeling down, the Prince began to rummage through his pouches for some sort of potion or antidote. Rather, he was looking for  _ anything _ that could help their friend before it was too late. Once again Noctis could only curse at himself for not being able to call upon the Crystal's power when he needed it. Had he been able to use it, he was certain he could have done something to help Gladiolus better. He really should take the time to learn more spells that were not connected to using the Crystal's strength.

“Ah! What are you doing, Niv?” asked Prompto. So intent on finding something to help Gladiolus' situation, Noctis had not noticed the pale woman come up beside the scarred man's hurt arm and kneel down. He could only watch as she held out her hands above the deep wounds. She stared intently down at the damaged area, completely oblivious to Prompto's question. When it seemed like she was doing nothing to help the situation, Noctis huffed and hurried to find something that would help.

It was in that moment that the Crystal Shard that hung around Niveus' neck began to glow. The light that radiated from it flowed down towards Gladiolus and slowly seeped into his wounds. As the ethereal light glowed brighter, the three other men could only stare on in amazement. The wounds glistened, and after a few hushed moments, began to heal.

“Whoa...” breathed Prompto in awe. “Just...what was that?”

Gladiolus' look of pain melted away. Pushing himself up, he stared at the once-wounded arm. He quickly tested it for good measure. “Wow,” he whispered. “I thought that thing had me...” He looked up to Niveus who had a blank expression on her face and smiled widely. “Thanks, Niveus.” She nodded lightly in response.

“That was no normal cure spell,” muttered Ignis, answering Prompto's question.

Noctis felt his gut churn in annoyance as he rose. He then realized the main reason that had been causing his foul mood recently: Niveus. And with what she had just done...it did not help his mood at all. Noctis felt his face form a scowl as he eyed her before turning away. “That was the power of the Crystal,” he announced to the others.

She had a Crystal Shard bound to her. All others they found went to only her. And now it had given her the ability to use its power as well? Jealousy fumed up inside of the Prince. Was this all some sort of twisted joke on him? Why should this random woman be able to connect to the Crystal as such while he was constantly ignored? Crossing his arms, he turned his back on the group, not wanting to deal with it any more at the moment. Once they collected all the shards, everything would be fine again...it just had to be.

“Do you know how you did that?” asked Ignis.

Niveus slowly shook her head. “It just...happened...” she muttered. She glanced to Gladiolus' arm that had been wounded moments before, and then to her necklace. Noctis glanced over his shoulder slightly to judge her response. It seemed truthful enough. Much like the night they had spoken to each other privately, there was no deceit in her words. Perhaps she had the same limitations as him: only able to use the power of the Crystal in near-random moments, not actually being able to control it willingly. His gaze then shifted over to the body of the monster that had caused all this trouble.

“Did you get the Crystal Shard?” Noctis asked, almost rudely.

Niveus nodded in his direction but he did not catch it. “Yes.”

“Let's get going then.” Taking the lead once again, the Prince headed in the direction of the town. That disgusted feeling in his gut continued to pester him the more he thought about what had happened. Trying to guide his mind to other things was proving rather difficult.

“Hey, Prompto,” began Ignis, getting the blond's attention as they walked on through the forest.

“What?”

Their bespectacled friend held out his hand. “Pay up.”

 


	5. Thorn

Placing his arms behind his head, Prompto grinned as he spun around and began to walk backwards. The other four stared at him in question as they turned down an alley to get to the inn faster. Shadows past over them as they as they slipped out of the range of streetlights.

“So, how many shards is that now?” questioned the blond, the grin tugging at his lips.

Being the next in their small group, Noctis was the one to answer. “Fifteen.” There was a slight grin of his own that he could not hold back. It had been a full month now since they first left Lucis. And, as Noctis had just answered, they had collected fifteen Crystal Shards in total, having now left Solheim. There were still many out there, that much he knew, but that did not keep the Prince from feeling some amount of joy.

The other day, when they had been in the process of collecting their fourteenth shard, he had used the power of the Crystal. It had not been random. It had not been an instinctive reaction. It had not been something he could not control.

He had called upon the power...and it had answered.

When it happened, he had been so surprised that it actually worked that he had had nearly missed his chance at using that power. It had been some time since he felt so...thrilled. Having the Crystal answer his call, at least momentarily, gave the Prince hope. He could now see everything having the chance to return to how it should be. Placing a hand over his chest, Noctis allowed himself a small smile. He could become whole again.

Stealing a glance over his shoulder, Noctis eyed Niveus for a second. Ever since the one time she healed Gladiolus, none of them had seen her using the power of the Crystal again. The Prince could not help but feel some pride in that fact. While the Crystal may have given her the ability to use its power, Noctis was the one who was getting his restored faster. It felt like to him now that the Crystal hat not abandoned him completely after all.

Then again...he had no way of knowing whether or not Niveus was even  _ trying _ to use that power like he often was. Well...he  _ could _ have asked her, but he did not like being reminded that the Crystal had chosen her to be able to use its power as well. No. Instead he tried to push that thought from his mind and focus on collecting the other shards that were scattered over the world. There was still a long road ahead of them.

“Fifteen...” mused Prompto aloud. Turning back around, he stretched his arms above his head. “I wonder how many more are out there...”

Noctis let out a light sigh. “Plenty more. I don't even think we've gathered up a quarter of them yet.” While he may not have been able to tell exactly just how many more there were, the best he could do was an estimate. The emptiness inside him was slowly fading away with each shard they collected, and from that, he tried his best at judging how much further they had to go. It was in no way precise, but it gave them some idea.

“I wonder how the people in Lucis are doing...” murmured Gladiolus. The rest became silent in thought. A whole month... What was their home like now? Had it barely changed or had it already gone past the point of no return?

“I'm sure they'll manage as long as they have to.” His voice confident, Ignis did not seem the least bit worried. Whether it was just a show or he genuinely believed that, Noctis could not tell. Even if it was false hope, it was hope they needed nonetheless. “It's not as though they'll go down without a fight.”

A hoarse bark of a laugh escaped Gladiolus from the middle of the group. It seemed forced, like he had not been completely convinced by Ignis' words. “Yeah, by the time we get back there, I'm sure they won't even need the Crystal any more!”

Back in the front, Prompto let out an exasperated sigh. “Man, then that'll mean we've done all this for nothing!” He threw up his arms as if to give in. “Don't get me wrong. I'd love if that did happen, would save a whole lot of worrying, but it'd feel like a slap in the face to me after all we've gone through already.”

Noctis let out a nervous laugh, and scratched his cheek. “We'll only find out once done, I guess.” It would have been nice, though, to find out whether or not this weight from their shoulders could be lifted. But, even if their home no longer needed the Crystal to survive, Noctis still would try to restore it, even if it would then only be for himself. But it was foolish to think Lucis would not need it. He knew that. The others even knew that. Their joking around was just that: a joke. They did not have the power to change reality.

“Excuse me,” came a new voice from in front of them. From the darkness emerged a man. He was walking slowly, as if uncertain who the group in front of him was. “I seem to have gotten myself lost—one too many shortcuts, I guess. I don't suppose you'd be able to help a poor bloke out, huh?”

A frown crossed the Prince's face. Slowing down, he moved to the side to give the man plenty of room to pass them when it came to that. “No, sorry, we're not from around here.”

Even in the darkness, Noctis could see the grin that split across the man's face as he came to a stop. “Then you guys will do perfectly.”

As soon as the man had stopped, Noctis had begun to reach back for his sword. Once his hand grazed over the hilt, he came to realize it was in vain. A grunt of discomfort escaped him as he felt a great amount of pressure constricting around him. This feeling... This inability to do anything... And here Noctis thought merely not being able to use the Crystal's power was bad.

“R-run!” yelled the Prince to his friends as he began to turn. That smothering... As long as any of them were within range of the spell that caused it, none of them would be able to attack in any way. Not with spells. Not with their weapons. Nothing. Any and every ability of theirs was blocked from being used.

Noctis then stopped. Raising a hand, he went to feel what it was that had suddenly pierced his neck. It had not gone all the way through, or even very deeply, that much he could tell. Just before his hand would have grazed the protrusions, electricity began to course through his body. A cry of pain escaped him as he collapsed to his knees. The pain stopped, but only for a moment.

Footsteps came towards him...more than one pair. Whoever that man was, he definitely had not been working alone. When the Prince tried to look up again, another shock from the electricity jolted through his body. That was enough to cause him to completely fall down to the ground. Body shaking, Noctis tried to look up. Not too far away, he could see Gladiolus on his hands and knees, trying, in vain, to stand up against those who were doing this to them. Like Noctis, the scarred man also had what looked like prongs of some sort sticking into his neck. From where he was, Noctis could not see if any of the other three were there or if they had managed to escape.

The last thought to pass through his mind before he was tortured again was how they were going to get out of this mess. And with that, the darkness enveloped his senses.

 

* * *

 

Groaning, Noctis returned to the land of the conscious. His body sore, and his mind clouded, he suddenly jerked his head back when he remembered what had happened to him.

“Son of a...!” he hissed in pain. His head throbbed violently after having come in contact with a metal pole. Muffling a moan, he slowly opened his eyes...only to be met by darkness. After the pain receded, he became aware of his situation. Arms restricted, he was bound to the metal pole that had caused him his discomfort. A groan escaped him. He knew he would be sore once this was over. When he had first opened his eyes and saw only darkness, Noctis thought for a moment that there were just no lights. But, once he had a moment to think, he now knew the lack of seeing things was due to a blindfold.

“Noct? That you?” a voice asked tentatively.

Blinking, the Prince instinctively looked over in the direction of the voice. He took a moment to curse under his breath for not being able to see a thing at all. But he did not need to be able to see to know who it was. “Prompto?” he asked back.

A sigh of relief escaped the blond. “You bet. Surprised they got you, though.”

Noctis let out a huff as he bristled at the comment. “What do you expect when I can barely use the Crystal's powers  _ and  _ those guys seal off any means to attack?” Laughter began to rise up before the Prince had even finished talking. Frowning, he bit on the inside of his cheek in annoyance. “You're laughing at a time like this?”

“Sorry.” Clearing his throat, Prompto stopped his laughter. “It just amuses me how defensive you got at a  _ time like this _ .” He said the last few words slowly, as if mocking Noctis. Sighing, the Prince straightened back up, trying to get as comfortable as he could given the circumstances.

“Know anything about where we are?”

Though Noctis could not see it, Prompto shook his head. “Nope. Last thing I remember was blacking-out back in that alley, then waking up here a few minutes ago.”

A groan then rose up from somewhere beyond Prompto. Someone else was with them. Noctis' brow creased. Considering that their conversation had not been interrupted, he figured it not to be one of the people that kidnapped them. Instead, he tried, “Gladiolus?” Since Noctis had seen him on the ground, he assumed it to be the logical choice. There was a moment of silence. No answer. Pursing his lips together, Noctis tried something else. “Ignis...?” he asked instead, though doubtful.

“I...would hope not,” groaned out a deep voice. It was definitely Gladiolus after all.

“Welcome to the land of the living,” Prompto greeted cheerily. His comment caused a huff to escape the scarred man.

“Where the hell are we?”

“No idea,” answered Noctis. It was not nice not knowing where they were or just how long they had been out for.

“Are Ignis and Niveus here?”

“Can't tell.” Prompto let out a long sigh. “Not as though we can take a look to find out. For all we know, they could still be unconscious. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Ignis was just sleeping now.”

Letting out a sigh of his own, Noctis leaned his head against the pole behind him. Closing his eyes—though he realized after that made no difference—he tried to sense for something. It had taken him until now to tell it was missing in the first place. The emptiness within him had returned. The Crystal Shards they had collected were nowhere near them.

“...Niveus is not here, at least,” commented the Prince bitterly. Surely he could have done  _ something _ to help get them out of here had the shards been in proximity. But...another part of him was glad she had not been captured. This way, he knew the Crystal Shard would be safe.

Though escaping from their current situation, whatever that was, would now be harder.

 

* * *

 

As soon as Noctis had told them to run, Ignis had cursed under his breath before getting out of there as fast as he could. With the seals that kept any ability from being used placed on them, there was no way for him to fight back at that moment. He hated having to leave his friends, not knowing whether or not they were fleeing themselves, but the bespectacled man knew that he could do more for anyone who may be captured if he remained free.

The farther away he got, the weaker the pressure on him got. His abilities were still sealed, but that he knew would fade in time. Another pair of footsteps then reached his ears. Being only a single pair, Ignis did not believe it to be one of the men that had ambushed them. Surely they would come in pairs or more. Sparing a second, the brunet looked over his shoulder and saw white. Like him, Niveus had also managed to flee.

“Stay close!” he called back, not wanting her to get lost as they dashed through the streets. The few people they passed gave them odd stares, but otherwise stayed out of their business. He did not know how long they ran for, weaving in and out of streets and alleys. Everything became a blur. Only once he was certain that they had lost anyone who may have been following them did he turn down one final alley.

Sinking into the darkness, he reached out and pulled Niveus in as well. The pale woman gave a muffled gasp of surprise before Ignis placed a hand over her mouth to make sure she stayed quiet. Silence of the darkness pressed in on his ears. Only his heartbeat sounded in the night, the faint breathing of Niveus barely reaching him. He waited. And waited. And waited some more. No new sounds were heard.

Breathing once more (for only then had Ignis realized he had been holding his breath), the bespectacled man looked over to the bearer of the Crystal Shards. He was mildly surprised when he saw the expression on her face. While part of him expected to see a hint of fear in her eyes after having just run for their lives—even he was still concerned with what had transpired—there was none of that in her expression. What he saw instead was merely surprise and...interest? He was not entirely certain, but that was what it seemed like.

He let his hand fall back to his side. “I think we'll be safe for now,” he whispered. Still he strained his hearing to listen for anything that could be considered a threat. Removing his glasses, he cleaned them with the edge of his shirt. He did this longer than he normally would have for he was frustrated. How could they have let this happen?

“Just who were those men?” asked Niveus quietly, figuring Ignis would hush her if she had spoken any louder.

Keeping himself calm and collected, Ignis put his glasses back on. “I have no idea... I'd suspect they're just random people and we happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But...if they knew who we were...and planned this... Well, that changes things slightly.”

“Who...you are?”

It was then Ignis realized the mistake in saying his thoughts out loud. Looking over to the pale woman, he saw the slightly confused look on her face. In all their time travelling together, she still did not know who they really were. Of course, she knew vaguely that they needed the Crystal Shards to make sure Lucis and their people were saved. But, she did not know the roles they held in their society.

Shifting his glasses slightly, Ignis then glanced away. The fewer that knew the truth the better. Yet...it was not as though Niveus was now just some passer-by that they would never have to deal with again. She would be with them until this matter was resolved. Beyond that...well, Ignis could not say. Not to mention, with her memory loss, she knew nothing of the tension between the different kingdoms. She had no allegiance. No loyalty. The only side she was on was her own...whatever that may be.

“Well...not so much  _ us _ ...but more of Noct.” Ignis rubbed the back of his head bashfully. He was not entirely certain if Noctis would want him telling her this. Niveus gave him a flat stare. She did not need to ask for Ignis to know what her question was. “He's part of the Caelum Dynasty that rules Lucis. The Prince...to be precise,” he answered. While many people would have become flustered or surprised at finding out they had been travelling with royalty for a time, Niveus remained calm. Once again, her reaction, or rather lack of a reaction, surprised Ignis. She had just quietly listened, soaking in the information.

“A prince?” she asked back. Ignis silently nodded. He had not really noticed until now that she always seemed so accepting whenever they told her something. For a moment he wondered if she would even believe a blatant lie if they told her it was the truth. It was possible, he figured, what with her memory loss and all... But now was not the time to test such curiosities. “It must really be important then, for your Prince to have been sent out.”

A wry chuckle escaped Ignis as he nodded again. “It is...” That was only partially the reason why Noctis had been the one to be sent on this mission. But, Niveus did not need to know the details of what had happened on that night.

“So how are we going to find them? I highly doubt they're still in that alley.”

Ignis tapped a finger to his lips in thought. If the two of them were going to help Noctis, Gladiolus, and Prompto, they were going to have to find out where the three of them were first. He then paused as another thought crossed his mind. Had any of the others even  _ been _ captured? All though he believed in their fighting abilities completely, that situation had not been in their favour one bit. It was logical to assume at least one of them had been caught in the trap. And, at the moment, he did not want to risk calling one of them.

“Say, are you able to sense where the shards are?” he asked, an idea coming to mind.

Niveus raised an eyebrow and Ignis promptly wanted to smack his forehead. “You mean this?” she asked, somewhat dryly. Reaching up, she tapped her necklace which made a light  _ clink _ . Perhaps she was picking up on some of their mannerisms and personality traits after all... The bespectacled man let out a weak laugh at his mistake. Even after being with her for a month, he had forgotten in that moment that it was the pale woman that carried the shards, and not the Prince.

“Well,” he started again, trying to quickly amend his idea. “Does it work both ways? Can you sense where Noct is?” It was worth asking, he believed. When they had been younger, he remembered Noctis commenting on the Crystal reaching out to him sometimes. When it had been whole, the bond between the Crystal and those it chose to wield its powers  _ had _ to be a two-way street. The very night the Crystal had shattered was clear proof of that. Though he had never found out if wielders of the Crystal's power could sense each other. 

Niveus tilted her head slightly. “I...I don't know,” she answered truthfully. “I honestly have no idea what to even sense for if I can.”

“You can at least try, right?” He raised his hands in a light shrug. There was nothing to lose from it. And if it worked, it would hopefully be a boon to them in their current situation. She stared at him uncertainly for a moment before she closed her ghostly eyes. Her lips formed a pensive frown as she seemed to concentrate, silence building up between them. Ignis waited patiently, hiding the restlessness he was beginning to feel. The sooner they found out where the others were the better. He partially wished it had been Noctis who was with him instead. Things would probably be going a lot faster. Then again...while on the subject, he wished all of them were not in this mess.

“He's...alive...” she murmured after a few moments. “Beyond that, I don't know.”

“That's all?” he asked, crossing his arms. She hung her head, hearing the disappointment in his voice. He quickly regretted the tone he had used. It had not been intentional. Shaking his head, he added, “That's good to know.”

Meekly, she looked up and nodded. It was better than nothing, after all. “What do we do now?”

Ignis shifted his glasses slightly. “We find out where the others might have been taken, and if need be, rescue them.”

 

* * *

 

Silence hung in the air around them. Now and then, the sound of people moving could be faintly heard, but it was clearly not near where the three friends were being kept. They had talked, for a time, but with them unable to think of any plan to get them out of their current predicament, it had gradually shifted into silence. At some points, Prompto would begun humming. He would only get a few notes in before Gladiolus promptly told him to be quiet. The scarred man did not want random tunes stuck in his head while here, after all.

Noctis was the only one to remain completely silent. He had tried to find a way to free himself  from his bindings, but there was none. When he came to realize struggling would be in vain, the Prince merely stopped and tried to relax. His eyes closed—for it was annoying to see only darkness when his eyes were open—Noctis kept his senses stretched. Perhaps if the Crystal Shards were near enough, he would be able to use their power and get them out of this place.

Footsteps could be heard not too far away. But, unlike all the pairs before it, this one was different. They grew louder and then slowed to a stop. Noctis tensed up slightly, not liking how things were sounding. Doors creaked open, stopping Prompto from humming any further before Gladiolus had a chance to stop him. They could hear the door close and the footsteps draw closer. Only once the person was right in front of Noctis did the sound stop.

Light leaked into his vision as the blindfold was removed and the Prince quickly closed his eyes tighter. Slowly, he allowed one eye to get adjusted to the light before opening the other. Glancing up, there was no one in front of him and he quickly looked around. The man who had removed his blindfold was now removing Prompto's.

Unlike the Prince, the blond did not take long to adjust to the light. “Why the hell did you guys ki— _ mmph _ !” He was cut off from saying any more when the blindfold was promptly shoved into his mouth. For a moment, he could only blink in surprise after being caught so off guard.

“Hostages don't ask questions,” sneered the man as he moved on to Gladiolus.

Noctis watched as Prompto spat out the blindfold. While he was certain the blond would have normally retorted with something, his friend remained surprisingly quiet. He probably did not want the piece of cloth back in his mouth, judging by his expression. Gladiolus was quiet, having learned from Prompto's mistake. The man calmly walked back over towards Noctis.

“Who are you?” snapped the Prince harshly.

He quickly regretted speaking.

The man had walked up to Noctis' side, gripped his hair, and slammed his head against the pole behind him. Gritting his teeth, he kept himself from crying out in pain. The ringing in his ears from the blow was not about to die down any time soon.

“What did I just say about hostages asking questions?” The man sighed and ran a hand through his auburn hair. “I mean, really...”

Defiant, Noctis glared up at the tall man. “What do you want from us?” he asked, fully prepared for any consequences. He was not about to give in.

The man gripped Noctis' hair so tightly that the Prince thought it was going to be pulled out. But, unlike just a moment ago, his head was not slammed against the cold metal. “You just don't want to learn, do you?” Noctis did not answer. Glaring, he did not look away from the man. He would stand his ground. Sighing, the auburn-haired man let his grip go and rose back up. “Whatever. We want some Gil, what else did you expect?” Noctis raised an eyebrow. “So why don't you be good men and tell us who to send a ransom to.”

Gladiolus barked out a laugh. “You've wasted your time!” he called out. “No one's gonna pay even a single Gil for us.”

The auburn-haired man smirked coolly. “See, now that's where you're mistaken. Everyone is worth something to someone. I'll find out at least that much from you yet, or my name's not Saul.”

The three friends blinked.

“Saul?” they asked in unison.

Expression falling, Saul looked at them wide-eyed. “Seriously? You guys haven't heard of me? The fearsome leader of the Black Bandits?” After seeing them shake their heads, Saul's shoulders drooped. “Man, you guys must really not be from around here.” Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck, slightly unamused. “And here I thought my reputation was well-known...”

“Gee, sorry to damage your ego,” murmured Prompto. Saul eyed him and the blond quickly clamped his mouth shut in the fear of having the blindfold shoved back in his mouth just for spite.

Throwing up his arms, Saul let out an exasperated sigh. “Well, if you're not going to cooperate, then you guys leave me no choice.” He began to head back to the door, rather slowly. “I was hoping it wouldn't come to this... But I  _ will _ find out what I need from you guys. Though, I gotta thank you,” he began, knocking on the door three times. “Going by your reactions, I'd say whoever's willing to pay for you will be willing to pay quite a lot. Don't normally have hostages that act the way you guys are.”

Stepping to the side, he allowed the door to open and watched as two burly men walked in. Saul looked at them for a moment then eyed each of the three friends. “Take the blond one,” he ordered.

Prompto quickly stiffened. “ _ What _ ?!” Frantically, he tried to struggle against his bindings with new found vigour. “Why  _ me _ ?!”

Saul tilted his head back and gave a twisted grin. “Because I think you'll break easier.”

That hit a nerve with the blond. Struggling against the men who were now dragging him towards the door, Prompto tried everything he could think of. None of his attempts to free himself from his captors worked. “I'll show  _ you _ who will break easily! You won't get a single  _ piece _ of information out of me!” He continued on like that until he was taken from the room.

Shaking his head, Saul ran a hand through his hair. “I don't think I've ever had a hostage that I wanted to actually  _ stop _ talking more than him.” Without a further word, he closed the door behind him as he headed out of the room.

Noctis and Gladiolus stared at the door for a few moments longer before they glanced at each other. “Think he'll be okay?” asked the scarred man.

Noctis narrowed his eyes slightly in thought. Sighing, he looked back at the door. “He'll be fine.” Quietly, so that Gladiolus could not hear, he added, “I hope...”

 

* * *

 

Crouching by the edge of the roof, Ignis peered over the side at the abandoned building across from them. At least, it looked like it should have been abandoned. Had he not been watching closely, Ignis would not have spotted the sentries or the people that passed by the broken windows. Kneeling at his side, Niveus also looked over the edge of the roof curiously.

“So this is the place?” she asked, eyebrows rising slightly.

The bespectacled man cupped his chin in his hand. “As certain as I can be without actually going in.” As soon as morning had come, the two of them had set out to find any information they could on the kidnappers. When they had started talking to the locals, it was not hard to find out what they needed to know.

Apparently there was a group known as the Black Bandits that would, almost regularly, kidnap people for a ransom. No one knew where their headquarters exactly were, though. The group moved around a lot, and often had several places under their control to act as decoys. If a false one was ever infiltrated, they were told it would quickly be set to blow. The building across from them could very well be either: the real headquarters or some mere decoy. If it was a decoy...they certainly made efforts to make it look like the real thing.

Ignis eyed the building. He was certain that the other three had been captured now. Had they been safe, at least one of them would have tried calling. On top of that, when the bespectacled man had tried calling Noctis, it had gone to voicemail. These things led him to believe that the only answer was to them being captured...if not worse...

“We have to think of a plan,” he murmured, sinking back down. Niveus quickly mimicked his actions. “Simply barging in there will do us no good.”

Niveus pondered for a moment. There had to be some simple way to deal with all this. “What if I let myself be captured by them?”

Eyes narrowing slightly with skepticism, Ignis glanced at her. To help hide his surprise, he calmly pushed his glasses up. “That...does not sound like much of a plan, I must say...” Captured by them? Was that all she could think of? Really? It sounded more like a way to give up rather than saving their friends.

She frowned lightly in disapproval of his remark. “If I get captured by them, and they take me to wherever Noctis and the others are being held, then maybe something can be done.” Ignis raised an eyebrow, silently asking to to continue explaining. “I would guess their weapons aren't with them, but if Noctis is able to use the power of the Crystal Shards, then...”

“I see...” he muttered, looking up. Pursing his lips together, Ignis thought it over. In theory, it could work, and probably with minimal bloodshed if completely successful. Niveus would be taken in, and once he could use his abilities properly, Noctis would be able to spearhead their escape. But...he could already see a couple problems with that plan. “However, what if they don't take you to them? What if they just try to kill you first? Besides, Noct can barely use his abilities even at the best of times now. After being captured, you could be stuck in there along with them. Then where would we be?”

A weak noise of realization escaped the pale woman as she looked at her feet. “I...I didn't think of that,” she muttered sheepishly.

Sighing softly, Ignis looked back to her. It was not as though he wanted to shoot down any ideas she had, he just wanted to make sure they had a plan that was as foolproof as possible. Plus he did not like any plan that required them separating. “What if...” he began, quickly running over the idea he just thought of one more time. Niveus blinked and looked up at him, waiting patiently for his plan. “What if we both go in there covertly to try and rescue them?” He looked down at his hands for a moment. “It may not be one of my strongest spells, but I should be able to put anyone who crosses our path asleep for a time. That way we don't create a lot of commotion with fighting.”

“And if they're not here?”

“Then we get out of that place and find their next possible headquarters.” It was not the best of plans, he knew, things could still go horribly wrong...but they did not exactly have a lot of options. Craning his neck back, he looked again at the shabby building. He could only hope that it was where his friends were being held. That alone was half the battle. “At least while together, we should be able to keep each other alive if things go badly.”

“That does sound like a better idea,” she agreed quietly. “When do we go?”

Ignis looked back to her and pushed his glasses up, a fire in his gaze that was not normally there. “Right now.”

 

* * *

 

“Oho, this is rather interesting,” mused Saul. Noctis was roughly tied back up to the pole. Even if he had not been, the Prince was not entire certain he would have had the strength to try and escape. He spat out the blood that had collected in his mouth, trying to get rid of the coppery taste. Humans were certainly capable of thinking up ingenious ways to torture other people. “So...you guys are from Lucis? That  _ is _ quite a ways away.”

Remaining quiet, the Prince glanced over to his friends. They were slumped over, possibly in worse conditions than he was. The auburn-haired man grinned as he walked forward, the two men who had helped with the torturing exiting the room. Breathing heavily, Noctis glared up at their captor. If only in that moment he could use his abilities. All this would have been easily taken care of...no to mention he could wipe that damn smirk off the smug man's face.

“Not every day you see people from Lucis leaving their lands with the cold war going on. Just what's so important to you and your friends that you came all the way out here?”

Despite his current condition, Noctis still managed to give the leader of the Black Bandits a sardonic look. “If I didn't tell you anything while you tortured me, what makes you think I'll answer your questions  _ now _ ?”

Sighing, Saul raised his hands in a helpless manner. “Hey, it's worth a shot.” Then, his demeanour quickly changed. Lowering himself down to be eye-level with the Prince, the auburn-haired man gave a malicious grin. “I would have thought the dear  _ Prince _ of the Caelum Dynasty would be more helpful than that.”

Noctis quickly caught his breath in surprise. Eyes widening ever so slightly, he stared at Saul in shock. How had he known? Noctis trusted his friends;  _ that _ information they would not have given over no matter what. So...just how had he found out?

A dark chuckle escaped the tall man as he rose up to his full height. “And judging by your reaction, looks like my assumption was right.” Noctis spat a silent curse under his breath. He should not have been so foolish as to react. His shoulders dropped slightly in defeat. Looks like the torturing had taken more out of him than he would have liked. “Now, now, give me  _ some _ credit here,” Saul laughed.

“ _ Credit _ ?” rasped out Prompto as the blond looked up. “ _ What _ credit?”

Sighing, their captor ran a hand down his face. “For figuring out who he  _ is _ ! You think getting information on royalty is  _ easy _ these days? Though I do have to thank you...if you guys hadn't let out that you were from Lucis, I probably wouldn't have figured him as that Prince.” His green eyes shifted back to Noctis. Squatting down before the Prince, Saul reached up and ruffled his hair. He tried to move his head away, but there was no where for him to go. “ Your hair and eye colour also helped, not to mention you hold yourself like someone of importance does.  You know, I'm quite surprised though. Aren't you meant to have some freaky abilities, or something? You know, ones that could whisk you out of here in a second?”

His face reddening in anger, Nocts looked away. No matter how much he may have figured out about them, Saul could not know the details of why they were out here. If that happened, there was no telling who he would sell that sort of information to.

“Ah, touched a sore spot, did I?” A cold laugh escaped Saul, rising back up. “Well, I'll save that for next time.” Waving farewell to the friends, he headed towards the door. “Might want to rest up. Don't want you guys pathetically weak for your next torturing.” He said it with such cheeriness that it sounded more like he was reminding them to get ready for a party.

Scoffing, Gladiolus looked up. “What else do you possibly need to know from us?”

That malicious grin returned. “Oh, who said anything about this just being to get information?”

“You blasted sadist!” spat out the scarred man.

Laughing, Saul opened the door and headed out. “Yeah, something like that.”

 

* * *

 

Ignis took the lead as he and Niveus infiltrated the run-down building. There were fewer people than he would have expected so far. Anyone they did come across was promptly put to sleep with a quick incantation from the bespectacled man. After crumpling down to the floor, Niveus would take their bodies and move them to an inconspicuous place to hide them and they continued on searching rooms they passed. How long this would have to go on for, neither of them knew.

“Are you okay?” she asked when Ignis leaned against a wall. His breathing was deeper and his heart rate elevated so that he could keep up at the pace he was at. Casting spells, especially ones he was not used to, took their toll on him. And, in this place, he had to cast a lot.

“I'll be fine,” he reassured her, keeping his voice low. Now was not the time to let something like this overcome him. “Although...” Glancing back to her, he gave a weak smile. “Mind if we try knocking the guys unconscious instead for now? It carries a bit more risk, but we shou—”

“I was wondering when you'd ask that.” Ignis blinked in surprise at her comment. “There's no need to do everything by yourself.”

A wry chuckle escaped him as he peered around the corner. “Now  _ that _ you couldn't have learned from being with us.” He glanced back to her for a second. This time, her look of confusion at his remark came as no surprise to him. “Let's go.”

Starting off again, the two of them continued on but this time at a slower pace. One wrong move and they could be found out before there was a chance to find their friends. Patience was their friend...at least, until...

“What?!” blurted out Ignis as they came to a halt. An alarm suddenly blared through the halls. Confused, he looked around their immediate surroundings. There was no one around where they were, and there was no other form of surveillance. How had their presence become known? Ignis caught his breath when he realized what had happened. “Don't worry about subtly any more; we have to hurry now!” he called out before continuing on down the hall. The only reason he could think of for them being found out is that his sleep spells wore of sooner than he expected. He chided himself for making such a mistake.

With the alarm sounding, and the people here alerted to their presence, many more tried to bar their path. Ignis had wanted to avoid killing people in this matter, but there was no time for remorse now. Anyone who stood in their way was quickly cut down or rendered unable to fight by Niveus and himself. When he had been studying the place, he would never have guessed there would be this many people waiting inside. This little detail, though, gave Ignis hope that his three friends were, in fact, here.

“Stop right there!” yelled out a guard, bringing up his gun. Ignis glared at the man before casting a small ice spell. It was not aimed at the man, that would have cost more than he had to spare at the moment, but rather his weapon. Jamming in his hands, the guard looked down to the gun in a panic. Taking that chance, Ignis rushed up and quickly knocked the guard unconscious while Niveus disposed of the other one.

Trying to slow down his breathing, Ignis stared up at the door before them. “What would make...them guard this place?”

“Do you suppose...?” questioned Niveus, eyes darting to the bespectacled man.

Skeptically, he studied the door for a moment. However, with the alarm still wailing, and more people probably rushing to their position at this very moment, they did not really have much of a choice. “Only one way to find out...”

 

* * *

 

Noctis' head snapped up as an alarm suddenly started to blare. His mind was oddly blank for a moment, not having expected something like that to happen at all. An alarm... That would probably mean...

“Feh! About time they showed up!” Prompto cried out over the noise. Brow furrowing, Noctis looked over to his blond friend. “You'd think they forgot about us with how long it's taken!”

Gladiolus raised an eyebrow. “What...are you talking about?”

“Ignis and Niv! Who else?!”

Sighing, Noctis looked back towards the door. The sound of people scrambling and shouting out orders could be heard. Whatever the problem was, it seemed to be causing quite the stir. “There's no way to be certain it's them,” muttered the Prince. As much as he would have liked it to be Ignis and Niveus, they were but one possible cause for the commotion. A group like this was bound to have a number of enemies, any of which could be the reason for the alarm. On top of that, there was nothing saying it had to be  _ people _ that were behind this. Something completely different could be going on.

“Would it hurt you to have a little faith in them?” asked Prompto dryly. Sitting up as straight as he could, he eagerly watched the door. “Just you wait. Any second now they'll be coming through that door to get us the hell out of this place!”

A loud  _ thud _ was heard outside their room. Things quickly quieted down. The alarm still wailed on, but now the commotion of people rushing about was gone. Ever so slowly, the handle of the door began to turn. A victorious grin split across Prompto's face when it began to open.

“About time you guys sho—...huh?” Blinking in surprise, he stared at the person who had entered the room.

“Well, that's not Niveus. And I sure hope it's not Ignis,” commented Gladiolus.

A woman with wavy blonde hair and amber eyes stared at them in surprise. She seemed to be as unexpected to see the three of them as they were to see her. Blinking in confusion, she stashed the knives that had been held between her fingers away. “Ah? What have we here?”

“Who are you...?” asked Noctis once it became clear that the other two would no be speaking up any time soon.

The woman studied each of them for a moment, as if her impression of them would affect her response. Whatever her thought of them was, it must have been a good one, for then she answered, “My name's Acantha.” A sly grin parted her lips as she winked. “You boys need some help with anything?”

 

* * *

 

Ignis clutched a fist in anger. Not only were Noctis, Prompto, and Gladiolus not in the room, there was  _ nothing _ that gave it reason for being guarded like it had been. It was completely empty save for a few empty crates piled up against the wall, and three men that had been waiting inside.

“Why were they guarding this place?” asked Niveus as she walked farther into the room. Ignis knew it would have made no difference where she went, yet he let her wander. There was  _ nothing _ . Still, it felt like they had been on the right track. Cupping his chin in his hand in thought, his eyes darted to one of the men that had been inside the room. One of them had tried to flee when they came in. Moving his gaze, he followed the path the man had been taking...straight to the right wall of the room.

The thought of more people coming after them slipped his mind as he walked up to the wall. There was no mistake bout it, the man  _ had _ been fleeing in this direction. Yet...why would someone run towards a dead end? Curiously, he reached out to the wall. The bricks were cool to his touch, nothing out of the ordinary at all. Until...

“What...?” he muttered in surprise as one of the bricks slid in. It was a trigger of sorts for in the next second, a section of the wall sunk back and moved to the side, revealing a hidden passageway. Pushing up his glasses in surprise, Ignis peered down into the darkness. If the men in the room knew of it, then certainly it played a role in their operations. If this was not the building his friends were held in, then, just maybe, perhaps...

“Niveus,” he called out, still focused on the passageway. “I think I know where we should go next.” Silently, he waited for her to come over. A moment passed. Still he waited... Still she did not move. His brow furrowed slightly. It was not like her to do that. Standing straight, he turned around. “Niveus?” Pushing up his glasses, he blinked a couple times at her. The pale woman was merely standing there, looking up at something as if entranced.

“Hey, Ignis...?” she began quietly. Raising a hand, she pointed up at something above the door. “What's that countdown for?”

“Countdown?” His brow furrowing deeper, Ignis looked up to where she pointed. Above the door they had entered hung a small screen. Red numbers were gradually counting down. The alarm still blared, yet no one else had come to where they were. Ignis' eyes widened as the realization dawned on him.

Who ever said the alarm was just for alerting the people here to their infiltration?

Ignis cursed under his breath. So the building had been a mere decoy after all. This group certainly was dedicated to do all this for a decoy. Reaching out, he grabbed a hold of Niveus' arm roughly. “Come on!” he ordered, pulling her in the direction of the passageway he had found. The countdown was nearly finished...

Practically shoving her down the new passageway, he was quick to hurry in after her. While she continued down, he did not. Noticing he was no longer by her side, Niveus stopped and turned around. “What are you—”

“An open door will do us no good,” he grunted before she could finish. Searching as quickly as possible, he tried to find some way to close the door from inside the passageway. In the darkness, it was proving rather difficult. His hands then felt a brick that moved slightly. There! Quickly, he pressed the brick in as far as it would go. Not waiting for the door to close, he hurried down deeper into the darkness.

But it was not quickly enough.

A large explosion went off suddenly. They were not sure where the source of it was, but that did not matter. Anywhere inside the building was too close to them. Perhaps even the entire building had been rigged to blow. The force of it that reached through the gap in the closing door sent both of them flying down the passageway. Just before he blacked out after hitting a wall, the final thought that passed through Ignis' mind was hoping that others were okay.

 


	6. Message

Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Noctis stared at the blonde woman who stood by the door. Acantha, as she had called herself, continued to grin at the three men. He was not sure what, but there was something the Prince did not like about this woman. Perhaps it was how she was acting in a situation like this, or maybe how she was staring at them. Whatever it was, he was put off-edge by her presence.

Her expression falling during the silence between the four of them, she played with some strands of her hair. While she had seemed intrigued when she first came into the room, that interest appeared to have faded away.

“Could you get us out of here?” huffed Gladiolus, no longer surprised at see this woman suddenly appearing. Prompto, on the other hand, continued to stare at her as though she had been the one he was waiting for all his life. When Noctis saw the expression on his friend's face, he could not help but roll his eyes and mutter something under his breath. Sometimes he thought his friend could be swayed a little too easily by a pretty face.

Her amber eyes glinting in the light, Acantha looked over to the scarred man. She tilted her head back and sniffed lightly in disapproval. “You didn't say the magic word.”

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Gladiolus shifted slightly. “ _ Please _ could you get us out of here?”

A grin parted her lips once more. Pulling out a slender knife, she proceeded to toss it. The weapon, while small and delicate, looked like it could cause a fair amount of damage with its sharp blade. “That's good. Now, I want to hear it from  _ him _ .”

“What?!” shouted Noctis, unable to hold back his surprise. Sure enough, Acantha had a slender finger pointed squarely at the Prince. “Why  _ me _ ?”

“Because.”

Noctis gritted his teeth in attempts to hold back some of the frustration he was beginning to feel. “Because  _ why _ ?”

“Because I said so.”

“And what does  _ tha— _ ”

“Oh, knock it off, Noct!” Prompto scolded, finally speaking. Blinking in surprise, Noctis looked over to his friend. It had been some time since he had seen the blond looking so serious. “Hurry up and just swallow whatever pride may be in the way and  _ ask _ her!”

A cold laugh escaped Acantha. “Better listen to your friend here. Time's ticking away.”

Biting down on his bottom lip, Noctis switched his glance from Prompto to Acantha. It was not a matter of pride that kept him from not asking her, it was just the fact that he already did not like her. Having her waste time like this when they had already asked for help was not aiding his impression of her in the least. Though...Prompto was right to some extent. By not asking her, Noctis was the one who was beginning to waste time.

Lowering his head, the Prince muttered, “Could you...please help us...?”

“Sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you.” Tapping a finger to her ear, Acantha gave a smug grin. All of this seemed to be only amusing her further.

“Could you please help us?” he asked again, this time louder, though he still did not bring himself to look at her.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “Well,  _ sure _ , I  _ could _ .”

A loud groan escaped Noctis. He knew what she was hinting at now. Never before had he come across someone who annoyed him so quickly and easily. “ _ Would _ you please help us?” If that was not the right question, then she would be hearing no more from him. He had had enough from this Acantha already.

“My, why didn't you just say so?” she giggled, walking forward. “Sure, I'll help. However...” Twirling the knife around, she looked to each of the three men there, making sure they were paying attention. “I'll help only if you help me.  _ Quid pro quo _ , you might say.”

“Get us  _ out _ of these things and we might consider it,” growled Gladiolus.

Acantha pouted slightly. “Now, now, are you really in the position to be saying such things? Besides, can't have you running off before you promise to help me!”

“What do you need help with?” Prompto asked, being the only one of them that did not seem ready to bite her head off.

“Now  _ that's _ more of what I wanted to hear.” Stopping in front of the blond, Acantha patted him on the head. She was treating them more like pets rather than people. After tossing her knife one more time, she neatly stowed it away. “I'm looking for something that this group has supposedly gotten their hands on. It's worth a great deal, and I need to get it.”

“So...you're a thief?” Raising an eyebrow, Prompto seemed rather unimpressed by this conclusion.

Acantha quickly changed her stance. Bringing her hands to her mouth, she appeared shocked. “I can't believe you'd say such a thing to a lady! Besides, not like it belongs to them in the first place.” The amber-eyed woman shrugged off the matter. One moment she seemed bothered by it, the next it was as though it had never happened. Did she take anything seriously?

“And this thing you're looking for is...?”

Raising a hand, she  _ tsk _ ed lightly as she waved a finger. “That's for me to know and you to find out. So...do we have a deal?”

Noctis rolled his eyes before glancing over to his friends. If it were just up to him, he would prefer to take their chances with remaining captured rather than owing this woman. Judging by their expressions, the other two thought differently. Both Gladiolus and Prompto nodded to the Prince, showing that they were fine with the deal. Reluctantly, Noctis nodded as well.

“It's a deal!” grinned Prompto. To the side, Noctis let out a scoff.

“There, was that so hard?” cooed the woman. Moving as though she had all the time in the world, Acantha came up behind Prompto and crouched down. Noctis' blond friend tried to crane his head around to see what the woman was doing, but was unable to get a good view. All he got from it was a sore neck.

However, both Noctis and Gladiolus were able to see what she was doing. Whipping out a knife again, Acantha picked at the cuffs that dug into Prompto's wrists. Within moments, they clattered on the floor. A sigh of relief escaped the blond as he rubbed his wrists. He took a moment to merely enjoy his freedom before pushing himself up to stand.

Finished with him, Acantha moved over to Gladiolus. The scarred man groaned softly once his arms were free. Unable to move, Noctis huffed out as he waited for her to set him free. She seemed to purposely be taking longer with his cuffs than the previous two. After what felt like minutes, his, too, clattered to the ground. Body still sore, he pushed himself up and rested against the metal pole that had been behind him.

“There, ready to help me now?” she asked, moving back towards the door.

“We could kinda use our weapons first,” Gladiolus sighed while rubbing his wrists. Both Prompto and Noctis nodded in agreement. With the spells that had sealed their abilities now gone, having weapons to fight with would make things go a lot smoother.

Acantha tossed up her arms in defeat. “ _ Fine _ . I think I saw some sort of armory where stuff like that might be.” Rubbing her neck, she shot a glance to the three friends before raising an eyebrow. All of them were still adjusting to their stiff limbs. “Well? Are we going or what?”

 

* * *

 

Blood pounded against his ears, adding to the throbbing headache that tormented him. Darkness enveloped his senses, causing him to wonder if this was real or some delusional state. When he tried to move, he was then certain of which it was. The pain he felt was far too real to be from delusion. There was only a shred of comfort he found in the pain: he was alive.

Groaning, Ignis attempted to move again. Met once more by pain, the bespectacled man became aware of his arm being pinned down by something heavy. Ragged breaths escaped him as he tried to make sense of what had gone on. The ringing in his ears did not help his ability to think clearly. An explosion... So the place they had been in was a decoy after all. Those lives... Those materials... That group had been willing to throw it all away. A curse met his lips as he thought about it.

His eyes suddenly shot open. Met by darkness, he was momentarily unsettled. There was something off about this darkness. Raising his free hand, Ignis clamped it over his left eye. Blood. There was enough from whatever wound he had there that it masked his vision even more. He attempted to wipe away the red liquid, but more took its place. With that eye temporarily useless, he closed it and hoped his other eye would be able to adjust to the darkness.

“Niveus?” he called out hoarsely. There was no response. Coughing, he held out his hand and attempted to cast a small fire spell. Fuelled by his magic, it nestled on some debris and provided a weak light source. At least now the place was not blanketed in darkness. Clearing his throat, he called out the pale woman's name again and looked around. There was a muffled groan off to the side. Relief filled him. She was alive as well.

Peering through the darkness, he saw the form of a person sprawled out. While it was his arm that seemed to be trapped for now, one of her legs appeared to be buried under rubble. At first glance, and in their current lighting, she did not seem to have any other serious wounds. They may just able to get out of their current mess.

“Can you free yourself?” he asked, shifting his attention back to his trapped arm. The part that was hidden from sight under part of the debris felt like it did not exist at all. A hiss escaped him when he surmised that it was caused from the nerves being damaged. At the moment, he could not be certain whether or not any of his bones were broken. Though, it would come as a great surprise if none were not.

Pushing herself up with her elbows, Niveus had to take a moment to let her eyes adjust. Various cuts scarred her face, but none seemed to be deep. While the bespectacled man tried to remove the rubble atop his arm, she tried to push off that which pinned her leg down.

Ignis gritted his teeth and took the pain that shot through the rest of his arm. The first thing he would do once they got back to Lucis was learn some healing spells. There had been too many cases on this journey where he had wished he knew at least the basics already. Who knew how many more moments like that there would be. It was heavy, and he was certain he was causing more damage by doing this, but Ignis managed to free his arm from under the rubble.

Panting hard, he pulled his arm close to his chest and studied it. As he had thought, his arm was broken. Moving himself around, he saw that Niveus was still struggling to free her leg. Slowly, to make sure nothing else was broken, Ignis pushed himself up and went to her aid. Together, they shoved off the debris. With all that now out of the way, the two of them could not help but take a moment to catch their breaths.

Once he saw the state of her leg, he let out a curse. Twisted at an odd angle, there was no mistake that her calf was broken. That explosion had done a number on them after all.

“Can you heal this?” he asked, suddenly remembering the ability she had displayed before. She had only used it once, in a time of dire need, but surely now would also be a time where the Crystal sought to help its user.

Wincing as she moved, Niveus placed her hands over the wound on her leg. With baited breath they waited for any sign from the Crystal Shard to show. Ignis kept his eyes peeled on the shard that hung from around her neck. No matter how long they waited, no sign of an answer came. The pale woman sighed in defeat and lowered her arms helplessly.

“I'm...sorry,” she apologized, gripping her leg in frustration. He watched in silence as her body began to shake in anger. “I can't... I don't know how to heal like that again.” In their time spent together, Ignis had never heard such frustration in her voice. Such...emotion. Reaching out with his good hand, he placed it on her shoulder.

“It's okay,” he reassured her. Not good at these comforting moments, he was not quite sure what he should say. He just knew he had to say something. “We'll be fine. Once we get to the others, Gladiolus and Prompto can heal us. I think they owe us at least that much.” When she glanced up at him, he was surprised at how expressionless her face was. He had expected something else; distraught, at least. It was as though she did not quite know how to react in this situation so she merely hid it all. “We'll have to patch up these wounds before we move on, though. Bleeding to death won't do us any good.”

Silence falling between them, Ignis proceeded in searching through his pockets for anything that could be used. He was positive he at least had some bandages on him, possibly even a potion or two. Anything would be better than nothing at that moment. He suddenly winced in pain, causing his search to be cut short. The pain had come from his injured arm.

Bemused, he looked over. Niveus had come to his side and was using her own vest to create a bandage and sling for him. Silent, he could only watch with mild surprise as she did her best to help his arm. Once the fabric was secured around his neck, she pulled back. Ignis was slightly embarrassed that she had helped him before he had been able to help her.

“Thanks...” he muttered, returning to search for something that could be of use. It crossed his mind that he could have used his jacket, but with the sling now in place, it would be too much of a hassle. He really must not be able to think clearly at the moment if he had missed such a thing. There was a second of reprieve when his fingers grazed over a roll of bandages.

Taking them, he quickly tried to set her broken leg as best he could. It was much trickier to do with one hand than he would have thought, but, with her help, he managed to finish. Blood began to stain the bandages, much more than he would have liked. They were going to have to hurry to get healed.

Ignis took a few breaths to steady himself before he stood up. Staggering on his feet, he reached out and placed his hand on the wall to steady himself. It was then he finally looked around and soaked in their surroundings.

The passageway they had been blown down was completely destroyed behind them. There was no possible way to go back the way they had come. That did not bother Ignis so much as it might have. Coughing to get rid of a tickle in his throat, the bespectacled man looked down around the corner. The blast had sent them all the way down the stairs of the passageway and they were now resting at the bottom where it led off in another direction. It was dark, and did not seem to be used very often. But, it was the only way they had left to go.

“We should get going.” Once he was certain he would not fall down, Ignis held out his hand towards Niveus. The pale woman gladly accepted his offer. Being careful not to put any weight on her broken leg, she managed to stand up with his help.

“Where does this  _ go _ ?” she muttered softly, looking down into the shadows of the dank passageway.

“I don't know. Hopefully, it'll lead to where the others are being held. At the very least, it will lead us away from here.” Helping to support her weight, Ignis began to lead them down the only place they had to go, the fire he had created earlier silently trailing them. How long they would spend down here, or where they would wind up, they did not know.

 

* * *

 

Anyone that got in their way ended up as nothing more than a body lying on the floor. Even though they now had their weapons at their sides, there was hardly a need to use them. With her flurry of knives, Acantha was taking down any remaining members of the Black Bandits in this building so quickly that the three friends barely had time to react. After opening another door, more knives glinted as they zoomed through the air before becoming lodged in the back of two necks. Now dead, the men slumped over in their chairs.

“Man, how many knives do you have  _ on _ you?” asked Prompto as they entered what seemed to be a control room of sorts.

Giggling, Acantha grinned at him over her shoulder. “Wouldn't you like to find out.” Returning her attention back to the room, she walked over to the dead bodies and shoved one off the seat with no hint of remorse.

A grin split across Prompto's face as her answer sunk in. “Can I?”

“Stop while you're ahead, buddy,” warned Gladiolus. The scarred man quickly pulled their blond friend into a familiar headlock, causing Prompto's protest to be muffled. Acantha merely laughed from her seat while Noctis, who continued to hang at the back of the group, sighed. There were times when the way his friends acted embarrassed him. And this, where they should be focusing on finding what this Acantha wanted so they could then get out of the place, was one of those times.

“What are you doing?” asked the Prince. Though he wanted to avoid talking to the woman as much as possible, that wish was outweighed by his desire to know just what was going on.

“Well, what I'm looking for isn't anywhere in the rooms up here, so I'm trying to find where it could be through this. Not to mention...” As her fingers flew over the keys before her, the alarm that had not ceased suddenly stopped. “Aha!  There, now I can actually  _ think _ .”

“So...why didn't you just come here first?”

The clicking of keys stopped momentarily before Acantha continued. “Because I thought I would find it without needing to come here. Besides, should you really be complaining? If I hadn't been searching around, I wouldn't have found you guys and you'd still be stuck back there.”

Noctis rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. “I think I'd rather have it be that at the moment...” he muttered. If she heard his comment, she did not react to it.

“Aw, c'mon Noct. Try and be a  _ little _ supportive. Don't you want to get this over with?” asked Prompto. Freed from Gladiolus' hold on him, he gave the Prince a clap on his back. Noctis gave a disgruntled groan, took a step to the side, and crossed his arms. He could not argue with his friend. The faster they found whatever it was Acantha was looking for then the faster they could be on their way. Keeping his mouth shut, Noctis restrained himself from commenting any more on the matter.

“There we go! Can't believe I missed that!” Finished with the computer, Acantha quickly stood up. Waving the three friends to the side, she hurried on through the door. “C'mon, let's get going!” she called back to them. Prompto was quick to hurry after their temporary companion. After giving a sympathetic look to the Prince, Gladiolus was not far behind. Standing there for a moment more, Noctis ran a hand down his face. He made a mental note to learn how to escape from various cuffs in the future. If something like this were ever to happen again (which he greatly hoped it would not), he did not want to have to rely on anyone else having to come to the rescue.

Getting captured was humiliating enough. Owing their freedom to some random person was just made it that much worse.

Acantha led them through the halls of the building. The many corners and stairs they ended up having to take did not slow down the blonde one bit. She knew where she was headed, and nothing was going to deter her. Just where that was, though, they were not told. Prompto tried asking her, multiple times, but she evaded answering him. They could only follow and wait.

“Here we are,” sighed Acantha, pleased. Walking into the room, she did not have to worry about the men inside for they were already dead.

“Didn't...we come in here before?” Confused, Gladiolus scratched his head as he studied the bodies lying on the floor. Knives protruded from their back, proving that it had been the merciless woman with them that had killed the men.

“Yes, but we missed something.”

“And what was...that...” As he had asked his question, Acantha was already searching along the walls. Before he had finished, she found what it was she was looking for. One of the bricks of the wall slid in as her hand grazed over it. That must have been a trigger for something for the next thing that happened was a section of the wall slid back, revealing a new passageway.

Faint lights that were strung up along the wall flickered to life. The front of the passageway seemed to be built from much of the same materials as the room they were in, but farther down, they could see it change. Walls of steel instead of brick rose up, giving off a colder feel. Cables could also be seen hanging down from the ceiling.

“This is what you're looking for? How the hell are you meant to get a passageway out of here?” asked Prompto as he peered down into the darkness. His comment made him receive a flick across the forehead from Acantha.

“This should take us to what I'm looking for.”

“Should?”

“Should.” She shrugged lightly when she turned to see the expressions on their faces. “What? There's a chance what I'm looking for might not be there. It's just if they do have it here, it's gonna be there.”

“Man, you know, I never really realized just how vague 'it' is until now,” sighed Gladiolus. “Sure you can't tell us what  _ it _ is?”

Waving a hand to dismiss the matter, Acantha proceeded down the passageway. “You'll find out soon enough.” Once more, the three friends followed the woman that had rescued them silently. The only noise that filled the air now came from their footsteps.

After what had to be many long minutes of travelling along the passageway they finally came to a door. Moving quickly, Acantha went up to the keypad beside it, and, after removing the cover with a knife, fiddled with the wires. She cursed when a mismatch caused her to get shocked.

“Come on, we don't have all day,” taunted Gladiolus, crossing his arms. “If you're having such trouble with the door, you could just ask for help.”

Acantha shot him a glare over her shoulder. “I can handle this measly thing. Ouch!” Sparks flew and she quickly pulled back her hand to suck on a burnt finger. A loud creaking noise then filled the air, like something was reluctant to move. Stepping back, the woman stared at the door for a second before cheering. “Told you I could get it.” Smug, she smirked back at Gladiolus. For the price of some pain, she had managed to open the door.

Once the door slid to the side, their way was once again clear. Waving them to follow, Acantha practically skipped into the room beyond, her waves of golden hair bouncing behind her. A little too eagerly, Prompto followed after.

“So this is where the thing you're looking for is?” he asked, tapping his shotgun to his shoulder. The few lights that were on barely lit up the room they were in. Craning his neck back, Noctis tried to peer into every inch of the place. Wires hung down from the shadows, remaining completely still. The clean floor glinted in what light there was. Parts that looked like they were from various experiments littered about the room. Tables were also scattered about, with computers and other equipment resting on them. It was a room for scientific development, that much he surmised.

“How...how the hell will we know what to  _ look _ for?!” blurted out Prompto.

“I'm sure it'll stand out,” sniffed Acantha in answer. Flicking some of her hair back over her shoulder, she headed farther into the room. She had barely reached a few steps in when more lights came on, illuminating their surroundings fully.

“Uh...is that it?” Pointing to something at the far end of the room, all of them looked to where he gestured. Looming above everything else, there was no way it could be missed. “Mind explaining to us just how the hell you were planning on getting  _ that _ out of here?”

Groaning, Acantha rubbed the back of her head. “Man, I wasn't expecting it to be in that kind of condition.”  _ It _ was a giant form that resembled something of a robot. The construction of it, however, was nothing that any society at this time would be capable of constructing. While robotic, there was an almost organic look to it. Stung up by chains, the... _ thing _ (for they still did not know just what it was), dangled feet above the ground. Whatever it was, it was clearly not complete any longer. At the very least, it was missing an arm and most of a leg—though if it was missing anything else, they were not certain.

Noctis swallowed nervously as he stared at the machine. Its claw-like hand alone was as large as a grown man. It was not just how it looked, for in all honesty, it looked like it would now just be trash, that unsettled him. Rather, there was something about it that put the Prince on edge. It was as though when he saw it, forgotten memories and emotions that were not his own began to stir. Something else inside of him was afraid of what that thing was. Something else was warning him of its danger.

“And just what  _ is _ that?” huffed Gladiolus. Though his lips moved, no sound escaped the Prince. Somehow, he felt he should know what it was. Whether it was actually the name of the thing or not, he was not certain. There was only one word that came to mind as Noctis stared at it:  _ destroyer _ .

“Man, didn't you guys learn your history at all when you were in school?” Twirling some of her hair around a finger, the woman stared up at the machine, a grin splitting across her face. “It's an Obruo.”

“Obruo?”

Rolling her eyes, Acantha let out an exasperated sigh. “ _ Yes _ . An Obruo. What, are you deaf?” The scarred man was about to retort when the sound of someone rummaging around rose up. Having been hidden by the shadow cast by the Obruo, none of them had noticed the auburn-haired man sitting down at a table.

“I figured you'd be looking for this with how you scrounging about upstairs,” sighed Saul, his fingers flying over a keyboard. “Though I'm a little surprised you bothered to bring those three along.”

A cold laugh escaped Acantha. “Why waste help?”

Saul continued on doing whatever it was he was up to. “I suppose,” he muttered, not once taking his eyes off the screen. “Though, I guess I should thank you guys.” After hitting one final key, the leader of the Black Bandits rose and dusted off his hands. “We've been wanting to test this thing for a while now, see how well it can work.” Grinning before he disappeared into the darkness once more, he added, “Have fun now!”

“Have  _ fun _ ?!” shouted out Prompto. “Just what is  _ with _ that guy!”

Any responses were cut short by a whirring and beeping noise. Before them, the Obruo was coming to life. Eyes an unnatural shade of green glowed in the dim light. The fear that was not his own grew inside of Noctis, causing the Prince to wonder just what this thing was capable of. A few light  _ click _ s were heard moments before the chains holing up the machine let go. The ground shook when the Obruo landed. Though missing much of one of its legs, the machine still managed to stand with the help of its arms.

“Maybe if we don't move, and keep very quiet, it won't know we're here...” whispered Prompto as the Obruo began to scan the room. Light from its eyes lit up wherever it was looking, and for now, it had not noticed the four of them. Uncertain of whether or not it would work, they all remained quiet and still nonetheless. The Obruo continued to scan. And scan... Eventually, the light of its eyes fell onto the four of them. Beeping frantically, the Obruo's eyes became bright red. The machine began to drag its massive body towards them.

“Well, so much for that plan!” barked Gladiolus, readying his axe.

“Time to see just how well-built this thing is!” Prompto gave a quick laugh and aimed his shotgun at the Obruo. Before he had a chance to fire, the Obruo attacked first. What had to be some sort of laser shot from an area around its head. Had they not been paying attention, the four of them would not have gotten out of the way of the attack in time. All that remained where they had been standing was a small crater in the ground. “Well...guess its weapons work,” chuckled Prompto nervously.

Noctis grunted and drew his sword. Destroyer... This thing was certainly capable of proving why that word had come to mind.

 

* * *

 

Even with Niveus using her weapon to help support her, she and Ignis could barely travel faster than a steady walk. Limping along, they continued on one step at a time. It was all they could do. Glancing down at his broken arm, Ignis was thankful that no more blood appeared to be seeping out. Now if only the feeling would return to the rest of his arm...

Switching his gaze over, he studied Niveus' injured leg. The blood on the bandages had spread. Not a lot, but enough that he was worried about her health if they did not find help soon.

“Wait,” she breathed. Slowly, to make sure she was able to keep her balance, Ignis came to a halt. “Which...way do we go?”

Blinking in surprise, the bespectacled man looked up. Up until now, there had been no other path to travel along save the one they were on. With no other options, they had just continued on walking. There had been no way for them to get lost. Forward and backward. Those were the only options. And, with the backwards way blocked at the other end, that left only one choice: forward. Bound to their surroundings, they could not deviate even if they wanted to.

Now, their situation had changed.

Ahead of them were three separate paths splitting off from the one they were on. Each looked the same as the one before. This was a foreign location to them. Neither of the two had any idea which direction was the one they wanted. Things were so much easier when they just had forwards and backwards to deal with.

Slipping out of his hold, Niveus supported herself against the cool wall. For a few moments, they merely stared at the three different paths, looking for anything that could tell them which was the one they wanted. Injured, and now lost, time and fortune were certainly not on their side that day.

“What if we were to go down each one?” she offered once it became clear that Ignis was not about to say anything.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “That'll take too long...” Gripping a clump of hair in anger, he peered into the darkness of each path. They did not have the time to spare to go chasing down each passageway. But... “We don't really have a choice,” he added with a heavy sigh. Any of the three directions could be the one they wanted. With their lack of knowledge about this place, a one-in-three chance was the best option they could take. As much as he did not like it, they would probably waste even more time by just standing there and wondering which way to go. No. The only option they now had was to choose a path and stick to it.

“Which first?”

Ignis glanced down the three paths one more time. Like before, there was still nothing to differentiate the paths. They were going to have to trust in luck. At least the odds were more in their favour now. A one-in-three chance...some would take that to be very good odds.

“We'll go down...” Pushing up his glasses, he decided which way to go. “That pa—”

_ Thud _ .

“Niveus?” Quickly looking back, he saw her slumped up against the wall. Her weapon clattered against the ground, having been dropped by her. Sliding down to the ground, the pale woman clutched at her head. “Niveus?” he asked again, growing rather concerned. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he felt just how much she was beginning to shake.

“Destroyers...” she rasped, fear dripping from her voice. “The destroyers... Rays of death... Weapons of the Light... They want to destroy us...!”

“Niveus, what's wrong?” Ignis gently shook her shoulder in attempts to bring her back from her fear-gripped state. He gasped when he suddenly saw the glow coming from the shard that hung around her neck. This fear that gripped her...was it coming from the Crystal? It was the only explanation he could come up with. Much like the night it had shattered back home, the Crystal had to be channelling its own fears to those connected to it.

“Shattered... Broken... They come to destroy us all...! Armies mass... Weapons clash... We're overwhelmed!”

“ _ Niveus _ !” When she looked up at him, it almost pained him to see the expression on her face. After a month of dealing with mostly neutral expressions, or expressions one would not normally wear in certain situations, seeing her like this... It came as more of a surprise than anything else. Her fingers gripped her head so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. “What's going on? Where is this fear coming from?” Around her neck, the crystal continued to glow and began to pulsate softly, almost like a heartbeat.

Taking a moment to try and calm herself, Niveus breathed deeply. “Such fear...” she whispered, her body still shaking. “There's something here...that's a threat.”

“Is it near us?” he asked, whipping his head around to see if there was anything hiding in the shadows.

“Not near us... But it's down here.” Looking back down, the pale woman curled up even more. It was as though she was trying to protect herself from some unseen attacker. “Make it stop...” she begged. “Please, stop...”

Ignis cursed under his breath. There was nothing he could do to help her. He wondered then just how had Noctis managed to live with the Crystal like he had for all those years. It must have been tough, to get used to it. Being connected to something else that could make one feel such things...Ignis could not begin to fathom what all those times of trouble must have been like for his friend. Even now, he could not begin to grasp what Niveus was feeling.

“Where is it coming from?” he asked softly.

Not looking, Niveus raised a hand and pointed towards the rightmost path. Ignis blinked and stared down it. If that is where the threat was coming from...

Rising, he held out a hand towards Niveus. “We'll go that way.” Snapping her head up, she stared at him as though he was crazy. It did not surprise him one bit. In normal circumstances, he would consider the person to suggest such a thing crazy too. But, these were not normal circumstances. “If the others are anywhere near what's causing you to feel such fear, then they'll need help. It may not be much to go on, but it's all we have.”

Niveus bit her bottom lip, trying to calm herself down further. Her pale eyes darted between the bespectacled man and the path she had gestured to. Eventually, she gripped her weapon and took his hand. Supporting her weight once again, he led them down the rightmost path.

Heading towards something that was referred to as a destroyer... Towards something that was, most likely, an enemy... Ignis never thought he would ever be doing such a thing of his own free will.

 

* * *

 

Panting hard, Noctis used his sword to help support his weight. Being thrown into a challenging fight when they were barely healed from the torture they had gone through was not the best of choices. But, fight they had to. There was no hiding or fleeing from the machine. It was taking everything they had to even damage the Obruo.

Small craters dotted the floor, some still smoldering. Along with the attacks from the laser, the Obruo's remaining arm was also rather dangerous. Giant scars were carved into the floor and surrounding areas from its devastating attacks. One wrong move and they could be shredded or blown to bits. The only weakness the Obruo seemed to have was the opened circuits where its other arm and rest of its leg should have been. Noctis and the others were thankful for this. Without that handicap on the machine, he doubted they would be dealing any damage to it at all.

While the Obruo limped along at a fairly slow pace, the other our were able to move around quickly. This also helped to keep them from getting attacked. Had it had both of its legs, Noctis did not want to imagine how fast it could move. They were barely staying out of its attacks as it was. Just who was able to make such a fierce creation? Why had they felt such a thing was needed? Those questions and more plagued the Prince's mind as they fought for their survival.

“And stay down!” shouted out Prompto. Noctis blinked in surprise. With its balance already compromised due its missing leg, the Obruo had fallen over when it tried to turn around too quickly. The whole ground shook as it crashed against the floor. None of them needed to be told what to do, they knew what had to be done.

Not wasting any time, the four of them rushed in to deal as much damage as they could. Sparks flew as they attacked any point that was weak enough to be damaged. Lightning suddenly coursed over the Obruo, causing smoke to smolder up into the air. Noctis looked over in mild surprise to Gladiolus. Rather than wasting his efforts in trying to break through the hard outer later of the Obruo, the scarred man used what magic he could muster. And it was a great help, too. The attack seemed to overload some of the circuits, causing the organic-like machine to twitch.

“ _ Move _ !” Prompto cried out. Looking up, the Prince barely saw the attack in time. While their attacks had stunned it, it had not been stunned for long. The massive hand of the Obruo came down to swat away Noctis, who was the only one at close-range at the moment. Jumping back, he did not dodge enough. The claw-like appendages sliced through his left arm. Thankfully they did not take his arm completely off, but the wounds were deep enough that his limb was now useless.

The Obruo seemed to groan as it pushed itself up. Noctis cursed under his breath as he pulled in his injured arm. Were they even doing  _ anything _ to it? Judging by how it was still attacking them, it seemed like they were not.

“I've got an idea!” called out Acantha, joining by their side. “Lightning seems to be doing something to it, so I'll need one of you to cast it on my knives! Just get it to fall over again and I'll take it from there.” Moving quickly, she jumped away just before another laser hit where she had been standing. The three friends nodded at each other in silent agreement. At that moment, they were willing to try about anything if it had the slightest chance of downing the machine.

Though injured, Noctis could still draw the Obruo's attention and finish what needed to be done. Rushing up, he tried to attack the partial leg. Before he had gotten close enough to attack, its arm came swiping down, just like he had expected. Rolling to dodge, he managed to get inside the Obruo's minimal range and attack the weak leg. The attack alone was not enough to send the machine toppling over, but once it got struck by another lightning spell, it was sent falling back. Quickly, Noctis ran back so he would not get crushed by the massive body.

With his part of the attack finished with, the Prince looked over to Acantha. Lightning crackled across the knives she held in her hands. What caused damage to the Obruo did not harm her in the slightest. A grin split across her face before she let her knives fly through the air. While normally they might have bounced off the shell of the Obruo, thanks to the lightning, they managed to pierce through the protective casing and tear through the other side of what they thought to be its head.

Breaking free from the weapons, the lightning spell coursed through the inside of the Obruo, frying every circuit. Smoke billowed up, and the machine no longer moved. Slowly, the life in the red eyes faded off into nothing. The fear that had been churning inside the Prince finally settled, and he could breathe easy once more.

“Is it dead?” asked Prompto as he peered over the barrel of his shotgun. The blond yelped lightly in surprise as some more sparks flew when another lightning spell shot over the Obruo's body. “What was  _ that _ for?”

Gladiolus shrugged, slinging his axe over his shoulder. “Making sure it was dead.”

“We're just lucky it was already in such bad shape to begin with. Who knows what it would have been like to fight it at its prime,” sighed Noctis as he attempted to stop his arm from bleeding.

Laughing nervously, Prompto said, “Yeah, don't have to remind us.”

An exasperated sigh was heard from Acantha. The three men looked over to her and watched as she walked up to the fallen Obruo. “Man, and here I was hoping to be able to take this thing back.” She ran her hands through her wavy locks and climbed up the side of the machine. “Didn't expect them to have gotten it to work.”

“What are you doing?” questioned the Prince as he headed forward. After all of this, he wanted answers. A sudden hiss of pain escaped him. Looking down, he saw a knife embedded in his leg. He looked back up to see Acantha's arm outstretched, two more knives in her grasp.

“Stay where you are or your friends might just get a one-way trip to the Underworld. Your life may be worth something for now, but your friends aren't so lucky,” she smirked. Noctis swallowed nervously. Glancing back to his friends, he gestured with his hand for them to stay still. Now was not the time to see who could attack or defend faster. When he returned his gaze to Acantha, he gasped at what he saw pull up from inside the Obruo.

“Is that...a Crystal?” he breathed out. Glinting in the light, she tossed up the item a couple times for good measure. The Prince quickly grew confused. He had sensed no Crystal Shard around them. On top of that, it did not look anything like the previous shards they had collected. The item she held in her hand was smooth and spherical, fitting nicely in her palm.

“It is, but it's not like the ones you're trying to get, Princey Boy.” She smirked at their confused expressions and stashed the round Crystal away. Noctis was not sure what stunned him more: the fact that there had been a Crystal inside the Obruo, or that Acantha knew he was a Prince. “You  _ might _ just want to brush up on your history.” Stepping back, clouds of darkness appeared behind her, and Noctis was able to piece it together. “Oh, and Creon said to give you a message if any of us were to cross paths with you.” Laughing, she ran a hand through her hair as she backed up into the darkness. “Hurry up with finding the shards, Princey Boy! Creon's starting to get a little impatient. He might start sending us back out to look for them, and we already have stuff to take care of as is!” She sighed and shrugged helplessly. “But what's a girl to do? Thanks for the help, boys!” With a final wink, she disappeared completely.

“Dammit!” shouted Gladiolus as he threw his axe to the ground in anger. “ _ She _ was working for Creon?!”

“Well...didn't see that coming,” muttered Prompto. Scratching the back of his head, he looked over to the dark-haired Prince. “What about you, Noct?”

Somewhat stunned by what had just happened, Noctis slumped down to his knees as he stared up at the body of the Obruo. Had it really been a Crystal that gave the machine its power? But, how could that be when the only Crystal left was the one his family protected? It was not as though what she held was one of the shards they were searching for, it had been something different.

“Brush up on history...” he muttered, gripping his injured arm. What was in their past that they needed to know?

A few moments of silence passed before...

“What the... Where have  _ you _ guys been?” asked Prompto.

“Trying to rescue you!” answered out a new voice. Looking around, Noctis spotted who had answered. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw who it was. Though that relief was short lived when he noticed just what state Ignis and Niveus were in.

“ _ Rescue _ us? Looks like you guys need the help more than we do!”

“Speak for yourself,” muttered Noctis, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, right.  _ Princey Boy _ here got injured.”

Clenching his jaw, Noctis looked over to his friend. “Don't call me that again...” Being reminded of that blasted woman, especially so soon, was not something he wanted.

Ignis coughed lightly, unsure of what had gone on between them. “Yes... Mind healing us?”

“Can't Niveus heal you?” asked Gladiolus.

Shaking his head, the bespectacled man glanced down to the white-haired woman next to him. “She wasn't able to use the Crystal's power...” That answer caused Noctis to look over at her in surprise. Being in the condition they were in, he would have expected the Crystal to answer any plea. Yet they were still very much injured. Perhaps it was because she was not accustomed to it like he was. That was the only reason he could think of at the moment.

Cracking his fingers, Prompto headed towards them. “Gotcha. I'll take care of Niv for ya.” Taking her weight from Ignis, the blond helped her to sit down so he could mend her leg.

“What happened here?” asked Ignis as he went to Noctis' side so Gladiolus could heal them both easily. A sigh escaped the Prince as he looked up at the Obruo. Quickly, he gave a synopsis of what happened since they woke up in this place. “An Obruo?” he asked once the Prince had finished.

“Yeah. Any idea what it is?”

Ignis shook his head. “I'm as confused as you.” A wince crossed his face as the nerves in his arm were mended and the pain came rushing back. “If it was using a Crystal as power, I would think it would date back to the Crystal Age, but...” His brow furrowed in thought. “I don't remember anything like this reported as being used in that time.”

Noctis sighed in frustration. It was bad enough that they had to hurry and collect the remaining shards. To have something else weighing in on the back of their minds would not help. So much for looking back to history for help...

“Well, what happened to you guys?” asked the Prince as Gladiolus switched to healing him.

Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, Ignis proceeded to explain what had happened on their end. “She kept muttering stuff about destroyers and weapons.”

“Destroyer?” Noctis asked back. Ignis nodded. As the bespectacled man continued to explain, Noctis' gaze flickered over to the pale woman. Her eyes were glued on the body of the Obruo, fear still lingering on in her expression. In that moment he could not help but feel some empathy for her. From what he could tell, the fear he had felt during the fight was the same as that which still seemed to be affecting her. While he had only felt a minute amount of it, she had gotten the full brunt.

“To think something like this would threaten the Crystal so much,” sighed Ignis.

Noctis' blue orbs fell back onto what they had defeated. “Humans can be a threat to the Crystal, so why not this?”

“But just what  _ is _ this?” pondered Gladiolus, finished healing. “Where the heck did it come from?”

“Maybe beings from space brought it here!” laughed out Prompto. Multiple eyes fell on him and he seemed to shrink under their gazes. “It was just a joke...”

Noctis sighed and ran his hands through his messy hair. “The sad thing is, that  _ could _ be the right answer for all we know.”

“Can we please just get out of here...?” asked Niveus weakly. She gripped her hands tightly on her weapon, her eyes still glued to the Obruo. The shard that hung around her neck continued to glow in distress, albeit fainter than earlier.

“Yeah, let's leave this place while we can.” Rising, Prompto was quick to help her up. “So, what's the plan now?”

Brow furrowing, Noctis shot his friend a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

“Doesn't this kind of change things...?”

“What makes you think that?”

Prompto smacked the palm of his hand to his forehead. “That Creon guy  _ wants _ us to gather up the rest of the shards! That doesn't change things?”

Shrugging, Noctis slung his sword onto his back. “Not really. Whether he wants us to find them or not, we still  _ need  _ to find them. So, let's get going.”

 


	7. Frozen

A cold wind stung any exposed skin. Even with the extra jackets and cloaks they had purchased to help keep warm, the unnaturally cold weather still managed to pierce through the layers and slow their progress. With visibility at near-zero, taking so much as a single step through the deep snow was rather precarious and draining. At the front of the group, Noctis clutched his temporary hood tightly around his face in attempt to block the wind and snow that pelted at him.

The shard they were going after at the moment had to be the ones that was giving them the most hassle so far. Compared to this, the boiling heats of the volcano they had been in back at the beginning of their journey was comfortable. Heat or cold... Before this, Noctis had never really been sure which he preferred. Now...he would gladly take extreme heat over extreme cold.

“Y-you sure th-this is the way, Noct?” yelled Prompto, his clattering teeth making it hard to talk normally. Though they were all huddled close together, the blond's words were nearly whisked away by the wind before any could hear them. Noctis merely raised a hand and motioned that they had to continue on. “Dammit! Why cou-couldn't this thing be closer to-to the town?!”

Sighing, Noctis silently agreed. At the base of the mountain range had been a town they stopped in. A nice place, with friendly locals. Like many of the locations they had stopped at before, they had been able to get some rest along with information before moving on. Since the time of their Crystal shattering, which was around six weeks ago now, the weather in the surrounding mountains had taken a turn for the worse.

A turn for the worse... After being out here, Noctis felt that was an understatement if ever he heard one. The unrelenting winds chilled the Prince and his friends all the way to their bones. They had been warned not to travel up the mountain with the weather so bad, and it was now clear why. No sane person would be here of their own free will.

When they had first set out, Ignis had tried various spells that could have helped them out in the threatening weather. All of them had failed within seconds. Nothing had been wrong with how he had cast them, but rather it was as though an outside force had snuffed out any spell that was cast. They were forced to face the wrath of the unrelenting weather on their own.

“Noct! Hold up!” called out Gladiolus. Turning around, Noctis raised a hand to block snow from his vision. Even with that, he could still barely see more than a couple inches in front of him.

“What is it?”

“We can't keep this up, man! Take a good look at the others!” The Prince sighed and looked through the blinding storm to spot the others of their group. Plastered with snow, they were as white as the blizzard that plagued their journey. With them not moving, the other three merged into the storm and seemed more like an illusion rather than being the bodies of his friends. “You're not looking so good yourself, you know.”

“S-so? What else ca-can we do but go on?” Noctis quietly chided himself for not being able to keep his voice from shaking. As right as Gladiolus was about the weather taxing them beyond their limits, there was not much that could be done on the matter. “This storm won't be letting up! We...we gotta keep going and get that shard!” Stopping now would only be a waste of time, with how he saw it; time that they did not have to spare. An even fiercer wind blew at that point, chilling all of them to their souls.

“And die from this d-damn cold in the process?!” shouted Prompto. Arms clutched tightly around his body, the blond was shivering like it was the only thing keeping him alive. “I'd like to live for a bit longer at least, tha-thank you!”

Tensing up his own muscles, Noctis tried to keep himself from shivering as well. To stop because of the weather...he did not like it. But, as his eyes glanced over the others once again, his mind was made up.

“But just  _ where _ are we meant to find some shelter?” Out in the blizzard like they were, there had not been many places where they could stop and rest. Matter of fact...there were none. Every place was caught in the path of the blizzard. It was as though the storm was alive and sought to smother everything within its grasp. Even areas that would have been natural wind blocks brought no relief from the unrelenting blizzard.

“We make one!” declared Gladiolus. Drawing forth his axe, the scarred man waded through the deep snow towards the side of the mountain they had been travelling beside.  Noctis and the others could only watch in surprise as he began to hack his way into the ice and snow. Chunks of material flew off, merged with the blizzard for a brief second, and fell to the ground below.

“You know, a little help...would be nice!” grunted out the scarred man. “It'll warm you guys up too!” They did not need to be told twice. Pushing their way through the snow, Noctis and the others began to help with making an alcove for them. It was the hardest for Prompto to help, for, without firing his shotgun, he could not break away any ice that was in the way like the other weapons could.

His hands nearly numb from the cold, Noctis used all the strength he had left in his body to make sure that their shelter was dug out before they all froze to death. Once enough space had been cleared to fit all of them inside, they took the excess snow and sealed up the front enough so that the blizzard would not invade their one sanctuary. Only then could they finally relax.

“Man, that is one annoying blizzard,” sighed Prompto while Ignis created a magical fire. Circling around it, they all soaked in the much-needed heat. Cut off from the torment of the storm, his spell was able to flourish before them. “You know, I think I prefer it when a blasted shard make a monster go crazy with power rather than something like this.” Shivering slightly, he brushed off the snow that was still plastered on his clothing. The others made various noises in agreement.

There was nothing normal about that blizzard that howled on outside at all. Not only had it sucked the heat from their bodies despite their warm clothing, but it had also drained them more than any regular blizzard would have. Tired and cold, the thought of continuing on did not bring them comfort.

“You know what I'm going to do when we get the Crystal put together and we're back home?” asked the blond. Staring into the fire, he flicked some remaining clumps of snow off his shoulder and into the flames.

“What?”

“I'm gonna shatter the Crystal for all it put us through!”

Ignis calmly pushed his glasses up after Prompto' outburst. “And go through collecting all the shards  _ again _ ?”

Crossing his arms, the blond huffed. “Someone  _ else _ can do that.”

Noctis merely gave a nervous chuckle at his friend. Sure enough, it was Prompto's mouth and attitude that warmed up first now that they were protected from the blizzard. The idea of having to re-collect all the shards was not a pleasant thought at all. Once was bad enough; to have to go through all of it again... Disturbed by such thoughts, Noctis gripped his arms in frustration as he stared at the fire.

With little else for them to do, Noctis' friends slowly drifted off to sleep. Still keeping his knees to his chest, the Prince continued to stare at the immortal flames that flickered on before him. The snow, which normally would be a cool blue, was a warm shade of yellows and oranges from the fire. Though a little dozy, he just did not want to sleep at that moment. As of late, every night had his nightmare return. After being drained from the blizzard, he did not want to face that nightmare again just now.

But he was not the only one who was still awake.

Glancing up from the flames, Noctis saw Niveus was still sitting upright. Like him, she was not sleeping at that moment. Hands tucked under her arms, the white-haired woman stared at the flames much like the Prince had been doing. The warm glow from the fire helped to make her not look so pale.

“Do you  _ ever _ sleep?” he asked, his brow furrowing. In the time she had been travelling with them, he had not once seen her sleep. That did not mean that she did not sleep, since it was not possible for him to keep his eyes on her all the time...nor did he really want to.

“When I am sleepy,” she simply replied. Noctis huffed under his breath and returned to looking at the fire. Never did she elaborate on answers. As long as what she said answered the question, that would be it. After dealing with his friends for as long as he had, he had gotten used to longer answers, especially from Prompto. It annoyed him to have to deal with such short and to-the-point answers outside of politics. “Why did your people send their Prince out on this quest? Is not your life more important than the Crystal?”

Surprised by her question, Noctis looked back up to her. While he had expected her to still be looking at the fire, he was somewhat taken aback when he saw her staring straight at him. Those disturbingly-pale eyes had a confused look to them. Sighing softly, he quickly took his gaze off of her and returned it to the magical flames that flickered on.

“Actually...it's not, really,” he answered after a moment's consideration. The thought had never really crossed his mind before, but he felt that was the right answer. No one life was more important to his people than the Crystal...not even his. “The people of Lucis would live on without me... The ruling family would change, granted, yet they would still survive. But without the Crystal...” His hands clenching into fists, he could not bring himself to finish that thought. His people had never thought they would lose their eternal guardian, and now they were paying the price for it. “It has more to do with me being a Protector rather than a Prince...”

“A Protector?”

Noctis winced slightly as he was faced with having to explain more. Many things that he and his friends took for granted as part of their lives were still a mystery to her. “The Crystal chooses those that would share its power...” A slight shudder travelled down his spine, but it was not from the cold. “Even you would be considered a Protector now...” It was not something he liked to think about. It was the people of Lucis that had protected the Crystal for so long, and yet here it had chosen some  _ outsider _ to wield its powers. “One of those forever connected to the Crystal.”

Holding out her hands for a moment, Niveus stared down at them. “So...is that what caused that...incident with the Obruo? Being connected to the Crystal?”

His eyes narrowed slightly for a moment before he shrugged. Not once had Noctis brought himself to talk to her on that matter since it happened. It only served as a reminder to how connected to the Crystal she was. That fear they had both felt then... That thought that they could be destroyed... It was also something he did not like to think about. Though he had not seen her when she had been in the grip of fear like Ignis had, that look that he had seen in her eyes at that time told him more than enough.

Never before in his life had he felt such fear from the Crystal as she must have. Though powerful, there were still things that could be threatening to its life; it was fragile in its own way, after all. But...for there to have been that much fear... Noctis did not want to think about what that machine must have been capable of to cause such a reaction.

“I think so...” he eventually answered. Unless they ever came across another Obruo, he could not be certain. In that sense, he hoped he would never know, without a doubt, that the Crystal had been terrorized by it. “Get some sleep. There's no telling what it'll be like when we continue on.” Lying down, he made sure his back was to her. As much as he did not want to deal with another nightmare, part of him would rather face it than have to keep playing the question game with Niveus. Only part... The rest of him never wanted to fall asleep again.

 

Dawn. Morning. Afternoon. Dusk. All were the same. As they left the safety of the alcove, it was impossible to tell how long they had been resting. Everything was just the same outside as it had been before. The unnatural blizzard raged on, never once letting up. Noctis, mildly rested, once again returned to leading his friends towards where he believed the shard to be. He only hoped that they would find it before the blizzard taxed them too far a second time. Just because they were able to stop and rest up once while out here did not mean they could do so again.

Snow got into his boots and made his feet very cold. Every step he took he could feel his strength and will continually being sapped further from him. Thanks to the nightmare that had once again infested his dreams, Noctis was no where near as rested as he would have hoped to be. He feared that, out of all of them now, he would be the first one to succumb to the blizzard's unrelenting attack.

Their journey continued on in silence, for even talking now would take too much effort. It took all of their strength to just continue on placing one foot in front of the other. Patches of ice were also quite a challenge. Had they not all been together, there would have been some irreversible accidents.

Up and up the snow-covered mountains they went. The higher they got, the more intense the blizzard became. But, just as they felt like they would be unable to continue on any more, they reached an area were the blizzard did not touch.

It was odd. From where they stood the sounds of the blizzard still reached them, yet they were not bombarded by the harsh winds and cold snow. The only difference between this area and the previous land they had trekked over was the mouth of a giant cave in the side of the mountain.

“Is this the place?” asked Gladiolus as they all craned their necks back to see just how high the ceiling of the cavern was. Rocks jutted up from the ground, creating rather dangerous protrusions to collide with if one were to slip on the ice. From above hung large icicles and stalactites. Noctis briefly wondered how much damage they would cause if one of the massive structures were to fall down.

“It should be,” replied the Prince, rubbing his arms. There was an ominous feeling that came from within the massive cavern. It was not the same feeling that Noctis had gotten from the Obruo, but it was still not a nice one. The blizzard had been a protector of this cavern, keeping all those that would seek to enter it away. If that had all been due to the shard, he could not help but wonder just what had gone on in this place for over a month.

“Well, a-are we going in, or what?” asked Prompto, his teeth still clattering lightly. Clutching his arms tightly, the blond looked over to the dark-haired Prince.

Sighing, it was left to Noctis to be the first one to continue on. Slowly, he was cautious with each step he took on the slippery surface. His heavy boots helped to provide some grip on the ice, but he dared to not move any faster as he and his friends made their way into the cavern.

What had started off looking more like a death trap slowly faded into something wondrous. Forms of pristine ice filled the cavern, twisting into such shapes that, at first blush, Noctis did not believe them to be natural. Shimmering lightly, the frozen water looked more like gems of the earth rather than ice. All of them were amazed by the delicate beauty. To think that something so cold and lifeless could look so wonderful...

“Man... They look more like they should be the Crystal Shards rather than ice...” breathed Prompto. His breath still clouded before him, but the cold was not as bad as it had been during the blizzard. Protected in the large cavern from the never-ending storm outside, their winter clothing was finally able to do its job and keep them warm.

“Whoa!” Gladiolus' cry was followed by a rather loud  _ thud _ . Confused by the noise, Noctis and the other three looked back. Laughter from Prompto soon filled the air. The scarred man had done nothing else but slip on the ice and fallen down. It was not that it was entirely that funny, but after all they had gone through to get here, it was a comforting change in mood. Brushing off the new layer of snow that had stuck to him from the fall, a glare was on Gladiolus' face as he rose. He seemed ready to chase after the blond in anger had it not been for the slippery surface.

_ Crack _ .

Instinctively, Noctis looked down. There was nothing but relief when he saw that it was not the ice beneath their feet that had begun to crack. But...if it was not that, then...

The ground shook violently as the sound of more ice cracking filled the cavern. Icicles that hung precariously from the ceiling came crashing down, chunks of them sliding all the way towards them.

“Leeeeaaave...” rasped out a voice. Though it had not been a yell, the sheer loudness and gravitas behind the voice hurt their ears. Gripping his sword, Noctis looked around for the source of the voice. Inside the cavern, there was only ice, snow, and rocks. He saw nothing that could have said such a thing. “Leave!” it roared. More ice cracked and the cavern became even more unstable.

Huddling together, the five of them managed to help each other from falling over. As the entire cavern continued to shake, their foe slowly appeared. What had looked to be nothing more than normal ice moments before soon showed its true form.

Breaking off from the wall of rock, a towering monster made completely of ice stepped forward. Its long limbs nearly dragged along the ground. With each step it took, more ice formed around its feet, shattering slightly as it continued to move. Nearly reaching the top of the cavern, it was unsettling to see something humanoid in looks reach that height. But, as his eyes soaked in the monster before them in its entirety, something caught Noctis' attention.

Beneath the ribcage of ice, where a heart would have rested for any normal living creature, was the glow of a Crystal Shard. Ice encased it, like a protective layer. Perhaps that was the entire purpose of the monster, to protect the shard.

“So, what do you think this thing's weakness is?” asked Prompto. There was a slight smugness to the tone of his voice.

“One way to check,” answered Ignis. Holding out a hand, the bespectacled man was quick to cast a fire spell. Blazing through the cavern, it shot straight for the ice monster. Waiting to see what the result would be, none of them moved. Just before the flames would have reached the monster, it leaned over, breathed out, and  _ froze _ the fire.

What was once a ball of blazing flames was nothing more than a clump of ice. Gravity took a hold of it and the frozen magic fell to the ground and shattered. With it, much of their hopes in defeating this monster also quickly shattered.

“Well...” Prompto swallowed nervously. “That changes things a bit...”

“We still gotta kill it, don't we?” asked Gladiolus, jamming his axe into the ice for support. “Then nothing's changed!” Flecks of ice flew as he quickly brought his axe back up. His footing now secure, he was the first one to charge in towards the frozen monster.

“Guess he's got a point!” laughed the blond. Taking aim, he fired his shotgun. Pieces of ice went flying as the rounds crashed into the body of ice. Though damaged, the monster barely seemed affected from the blow. “You know, you guys might want to help Gladiolus!”

Sighing under his breath, Noctis was next to join the battle, Ignis and Niveus not far behind. Already caught in the fight, Gladiolus was not even able to get a blow in before the monster swiped one if its long limbs at him. Barely dodging to the side in time, he used his axe to help keep him from sliding too far away.

In that moment that it was distracted, Noctis hurried in and sliced away at one of the legs. After dealing with many different kinds of monster on their journey so far, he was not surprised when his blade did not slice all the way through. Unlike other monsters, he did at least deal some damage. Shards of ice flew away as his sword dug into the monster's leg.

At the same time he was attacking, Ignis hurried up to the other leg and, with fire coursing over his weapons, sliced clean through the ice that made up the second leg. With its balance temporarily shifted, the monster staggered for a brief moment. Hurrying out of the way, in case it was about to fall over, Noctis and Ignis looked up, watched, and then had their hopes fall.

Placing the stub of its leg back down on the part that had been cut off, the ice quickly froze back together, healing the wound.

“Freeeeeze!” it breathed out. Raising its massive arms above its head, the monster brought them down and slammed them on the ground. Not only did that send the entire cavern shaking, but spikes of ice jutted up from the ground, all in a path towards the dark-haired Prince.

A curse escaped him as he slid while attempting to get out of the way. It was in that moment that he was thankful that his friends were with him. A wall of fire burst to life in front of him, melting the attack of ice and having him doused in cold water rather than being skewered to death. He looked over to see that it had been Gladiolus and Prompto that were his saviors that time. Nodding in thanks, Noctis was quick to find a new point from which he could attack.

The surface of the ice gradually began to grow rougher and rougher as the fight continued on. This made things much easier for them to fight with secure footing. But still, nothing they did seemed to be dealing any major damage to the monster. It took moments to heal from attacks, and any time they tried more fire spells, the ice monster merely froze those as well.

It was only when Niveus tried another attack did Noctis get an idea.

Jumping up, she had jammed her weapon into the lower part of the ribcage of the monster. From there, she flipped herself up as easily as an acrobat would. Now standing on her double-ended spear, she was high enough to attack what had to be the weak point of the monster: the Crystal Shard heart. But, it had taken too long for her to get into position to be able to attack it, and she had left herself open.

Before she had a chance to finish her attack, a hand of ice came crashing down on her and Niveus was sent flying into the ground. Ice cracked around her and fragments of it shot up into the air from the force of the impact.

While her plan had not worked, seeing it was what Noctis needed. He could finish what she had started...if he could use his powers for but a moment.

“Keep it busy!” he shouted out to his three friends. The ice monster brushed away Niveus' weapon and that fell to the ground as well. There would be no time to lose in Noctis' attempt. He would have to get near the heart in one go, leaving no room for mistakes.

Around him, his friend were quick to follow his command. Prompto, being the only one that had successful range attacks on the monster, focused on the head while Ignis and Gladiolus tried to keep the monster busy by attacking its limbs. Moving to a less-crowded area, Noctis stared up at the towering ice entity. If this worked, it would be the first time his teleportation ability would be used since the shattering of the Crystal. Clearing his mind from all other distractions, the Prince focused on the ribcage of the monster, and the heart.

He slowed his thoughts down, making sure the only ones to pass through his mind were those that dealt with the Crystal. In his own way, his asked the shards of their eternal guardian to heed his call. It was different from how he used to be able to use its power with but a single thought, but it still followed the same practice. Now, though, it required much more thought, and had the chance of failing. Noctis did not hide how desperate their situation was from the Crystal. It needed to know. It needed to know that if they lost, it would most likely never become whole again. Its existence, along with their own, was tied to victory. Closing his eyes for a moment, he sent his voiceless pleas towards the Crystal.

A cry of surprise escaped Noctis as he quickly felt himself falling towards the ground. Moving quickly, he jammed his sword into the ice before him and found a footing. It had worked! Before him glowed the heart of the ice monster, the Crystal Shard. Lost in a moment of exhilaration, the Prince almost forgot about how quickly he would have to move.

Taking his free hand, Noctis broke through the remaining layers of ice that protected the shard. Much like the first time he had attempted to take Niveus' shard, it tried to repel him. A cry of pain escaped the Prince at the raw power it shot out at him. Gritting his teeth, he took the pain that coursed through his hand and up his arm and used all his might to breach its final defence. As long as it was bound to something, the Crystal Shard would defend itself to the end.

His hand growing numb, the Prince managed to enclose it around the shard. For something that he had protected through the years to now be fighting against him like this...it hurt more than the physical pain. As soon as his fingers curled around, a heavy blow hit him and he was sent to the ground.

Rather than landing on just the frozen ground, there was something else. Regaining his senses, he saw that it had been Niveus that had softened his impact slightly. He grunted and quickly pushed himself up as much as he could. His body aching, Noctis looked down to his numb hand. Glinting through his fingers was the Crystal Shard. The plan...it had worked.

A low groan began to fill the air. Looking up, Noctis saw that the ice monster was reeling in pain. It howled, causing the entire cavern to shake once again. Cracks began to form over the body of the monster. Separated from its heart, the power that had been holding the ice together and giving it life was now gone. Fragments began to break away, flying away from the body of the monster at an amazing speed. It did not take the Prince long to realize what was about to happen.

“Watch out!” he yelled. Acting on instinct, he moved to protect himself and the person who was still unconscious near him. He had barely moved when the ice monster completely shattered. Shards of ice whizzed by, crashing into the walls, ceiling, and floor alike. Only once he no longer heard any of the frozen projectiles did Noctis look back up. All the ice that had been a part of the monster was now embedded throughout the cavern, changing the look of the place slightly. There had been quite a lot of ice protecting the shard...

Relieved that the plan had worked, Noctis let out a long sigh. It then dawned on him what he had just done, and the dark-haired Prince quickly shifted back. The pale woman before him groaned softly, no longer unconscious. Making a light noise in frustration, Noctis looked back down to his numb hand and gasped. The shard he had collected was gone.

Wondering what had happened to it, he quickly looked around. His fears were for nothing, for as soon as he spotted Niveus' glowing necklace, he realized what had transpired. Even though he had been the one to claim the shard, it had still been absorbed by the one bound to the pale woman. Crossing his good arm across his chest, Noctis looked anywhere but at her.

“Are you guys all right?” asked Ignis, coming over to check on the two of them.

“Fine,” grunted Noctis. Though back in a foul mood, he was physically okay. The feeling in his numb hand would return in time, and he had suffered no serious injuries during the fight.

“Just a bit sore...” muttered out Niveus as she rose. Nearly stumbling for a moment, she went off to collect her weapon.

“We done here?” huffed out the deep voice of Gladiolus. The scarred man was supporting a limping Prompto. While the others had managed to remain unscathed from the self-destruct of the ice monster, a rather large shard of ice had embedded itself in his leg.

“Uh...don't you want to take care of that?” asked Noctis as he rose.

“Once I don't have to sit down on the ice,” answered the blond, waving his hand to dismiss the matter.

“You...might want to do something about that... _ now _ ,” came Ignis, concern creeping up in his voice.

“What?” Blinking in confusion, Prompto looked down to his leg. “Whoa!” So surprised by what he saw, Prompto slipped and fell to the ground. Even Gladiolus was surprised and quickly moved away. Spreading across his leg from where the ice shard had been embedded, frost began to cover his limb. Even though it was defeated, the ice monster still had some moves hidden. “Burn it off! Burn it off!”

Acting quickly, Ignis hurriedly cast a fire spell. Flames burst to life on Prompto's leg, melting the ice before it spread too far. It took only a moment for the threat to be taken care of.

Breathing heavily, Prompto slowly rose. “Man, fire sure has been our friend on this journey.”

“Expect the times when it's been our  _ enemy _ ,” sighed Gladiolus, referring to the multiple fights they have had with monsters of that element.

“Can we just get going now?” Making sure his sword was secure once again, Noctis kept his numb hand tucked in close to his torso. They had gotten what they needed from here; lingering around was only wasting time.

 

With the blizzard gone, the skies were finally clear once again. It felt like they were in a completely new area as they made their trek back down the mountain. The fresh snow glistened in the light from the setting sun. So calm... So peaceful... It was hard to believe that not long before it had been a death trap. The weather was still very much cold, but it was no longer the cold that sapped their strength. Unlike the journey up, it was very easy to head back down to the town, and took only a fraction of the time.

Much to Noctis' protest, they agreed on resting up for the night in the town. Though only Prompto had gotten what they considered a serious wound, the rest of them were rather exhausted. As much as he may have tried to hide it, the dark-haired Prince was thankful for the rest. It was good that he had his friends with him to make sure he rested rather than always pushing recklessly on.

So that was why now he sat along with his friends around a booth at a bar. When the word “rest” came to mind, this was not the first thing that Noctis thought of. But, once again, his friends had been the cause. As long as they were happy and could relax, he did not fully care.

“Hey, Niv, let's dance!” offered Prompto. The pale-haired woman looked up from her drink to the hand that was offered to her. While she looked confused, the rest looked surprised.

“...Dance?” she asked back slowly.

“Yeah! I'll show you! C'mon!” Without waiting for any sort of response, the blond quickly grabbed Niveus' arm and pulled her up. Had she not been quick enough, the drink that had still been in her hand would have spilled rather than be placed on their table. Stumbling for a moment, Niveus managed to collect herself before being dragged onto the dance floor where other people had already gathered.

“Well...at least his leg is better,” mused Ignis, pushing up his glasses.

“You'd think he never injured it long before with how he's dancing,” yawned Gladiolus. “Kinda feel sorry for Niveus.” Out on the dance floor, Prompto was performing some rather...enthusiastic moves. Left in his wake, Niveus seemed at a loss for what to do. Even when the blond tried to lead her along with his moves, there was little she could do but look silly. “So, Noct, any idea how much further we have to go?”

“What?” snapping his head around, Noctis stared at his scarred friend in surprise for a moment. He was in self-denial for having watched the two dancing longer than he intended. As such, he did not want his other friends knowing that.

Gladiolus tried to hold back a smirk from spreading across his lips. Tried, and failed. “Any idea how many more shards we gotta collect?” There was a smugness to his voice as the scarred man took a swig from his drink.

Noctis quickly looked down at his own drink, making sure he was completely recovered from being caught off guard before he answered. “I think we're a bit over a quarter done now...” Tapping on the side of his glass, the Prince cast his blue eyes up in thought. Thanks to the shard they had just collected, they were now sitting at twenty-five in their possession. “Somewhere around there, at least.” It was difficult, but Noctis tried to see it as more of a quarter full, rather than three-quarters empty. A simple mind trick, but one that enabled him to continue on.

“Man, Prompto is right about this taking forever...”

Noctis sniffed lightly in disapproval. It may very well be taking forever, but that did not mean they had to keep reminding themselves of it. To gather up all the shards, it would take as long as it had to take.

“How's your hand?” asked Ignis, changing the subject before the atmosphere got too glum around them.

“Much better.” Raising his left hand, Noctis flexed the fingers to demonstrate. The sensation he got from the feeling returning to it was different than one would get after other kinds of numbness. It had also taken much longer for the feeling in his hand to return than the first time he had come into contact with a bound shard. The only reasoning he had for that was the fact he had suffered the effects of the shard much longer than the first time.

“It's amazing what the Crystal will do to protect itself...”

Expression falling, Noctis grabbed his drink and swirled it around. “Amazing, right... Tell me if you still think that when you get  _ your _ hand attacked from a shard and then have it go numb for a while.”

“Just because it's uncomfortable does not make it any less amazing.”

_ Thunk _ .

“...Didn't that hurt?” asked Gladiolus, wincing slightly.

“A bit,” was Noctis' muffled reply. He had let his head fall to the table in defeat. Figures... He should have expected such a response from his bespectacled friend. The logic of situations never seemed to escape Ignis. It was no wonder he had ended up working for the royal family at such a young age compared to most.

“Looks like it's my turn!” laughed Gladiolus. Keeping his head on the table, Noctis peered over at his scarred friend. After taking another swig from his drink, Gladiolus rose. His brow furrowing, the blue-eyed Prince followed his friend with his gaze...and soon let out a sigh when he saw that Prompto and Niveus were returning. The blond had an excited grin on his face, and even Niveus, though looking somewhat exhausted after dancing for such a relatively short amount of time, seemed in better spirits than when she had started.

As they drew closer, the scarred man was quick to step up and take Niveus' arm before she had a chance to sit down. Her slight look of content was quickly replaced by surprise as she was led back onto the dance floor. Gladiolus did not quite have the same moves as Prompto did, but he was not a bad dancer either. At the very least, his dancing style was better suited for someone like Niveus to keep up with.

Pushing himself back up, Noctis stared after them with a sardonic look. He thought it odd enough for Prompto to be dancing with her, but now Gladiolus too? The Prince huffed out in annoyance slightly. It did not make much sense to him...

Once he had taken his seat back, Prompto was quick to start up a conversation with Ignis. His tongue was looser now, though it was not due to any consumption of great amounts of alcohol. Noctis, on the other hand, remained silent. Focused back on his own drink and the appetizers before them, he barely listened to the conversation between his two friends. From what he caught, it had something to deal with magic.

Had it been any other time, Noctis may have listened, and even joined in. Learning magic that was not an extension of the Crystal's power was now something he sought to learn in case of emergencies. He had never bothered with such teachings before since, well, he never thought he would be unable to use the Crystal's power. Those thoughts seemed like a distant dream now. He would never be able to return to the reality world where he was so certain that such a thing would never happen. It  _ had _ happened, and now the question was: would it ever happen again?

“Which way do we have to head now?”

Noctis blinked and looked up. “What?”

Prompto rolled his eyes and smirked. “Getting tired there, Princey Boy?”

Bristling, Noctis was quick to look around to make sure no one had overheard his friend. “I  _ told _ you not to call me that,” he hissed back in a whisper. “And I'm not tired yet...”

“Right, right...” The blond absentmindedly scratched his cheek. Sighing, Noctis rolled his own eyes and leaned back. It was clear from his friend's reaction that the Prince should expect to be called that many more times in the future. “Which way are we gonna be heading now?” Prompto asked again.

“South-east now.”

The blond pumped his arm in a light cheer. “Yes, no more cold of the north!” After flicking some of his bangs back to the side, Prompto took a swig from his drink. “I think I've seen enough snow and ice to last me a couple years.”

“Agreed,” voiced Ignis, raising his drink. Noctis, however, just made a small noise of agreement. “Well, guess I'll be next.”

Raising his eyebrows in question, Noctis stared at his bespectacled friend. After he took a quick sip from his drink, Ignis rose. The Prince followed where he was heading with his eyes and looked ahead. As soon as he did, he nearly spurted out his own drink. Even  _ Ignis _ was now going to take a dance with Niveus.

A long sigh escaped the Prince as he sunk into his seat. His friends' actions were making little sense to him. Perhaps they really were so exhausted from travelling through the blizzard that they were hardly themselves at this moment. Then again...maybe they had all just really wanted a moment with the pale woman in their party, and were now getting that chance. Noctis could see that reason working for Prompto, maybe even Gladiolus, but not so much Ignis.

“So what's gonna happen to Niv anyway when we repair the Crystal?” asked Prompto. While, most times, Noctis would have expected his friend to have been cheerier in asking a question at a time like this, he was rather surprised and taken aback by the serious tone the blond had suddenly taken.

“What do you mean?” questioned Noctis once he cleared his throat.

“What do  _ you _ mean 'what do you mean'? What's gonna happen to Niv? Do you need me to spell it out for you?”

Noctis blinked at his friend for a moment before casting his gaze down. “I don't know,” he mumbled truthfully. There was still the matter of her memory loss. He could not see the Councilmen, or anyone else from Lucis at the moment, taking too kindly to an outsider, even if she were to never remember her origins. And then, what if she did? What if she did remember, and ended up betraying them? That thought brought a bitter taste to Noctis' mouth.

Then again...if she really was one of the enemy, it was more likely that she would be taken prisoner. Various forms of torture would be in that future for her. However, she might be spared that due to how she has been bound to the Crystal Shards. Rather than torture,various tests for scientific experiments might be performed on her. He was not sure which outcome made him feel more sick to his stomach. Though Prince, Noctis would have very little power in deciding what would happen to her if and when she returned to Lucis with them.

“Well, you better keep it from being anything too bad. After all, she's been helping us!”

Looking up, Noctis gave his blond friend a doubtful look. While he would certainly have a word in whatever discussion took place then, the final word on the matter would not be his.

“Maybe we should find a way to take the Crystal from her before she has to go back to Lucis,” voiced Gladiolus.

“And, what, leave her out to face the world alone if she hasn't gained he memories back by then?” countered Prompto, frowning. “That's almost as bad as anything our government would do to her!”

“Hardly. She'd be free and living.”

“Noct, what do you think?”

The Prince was once again caught off guard by being drawn from his thoughts. Why should it matter what he thought? It was not as though he, or any of them, for that matter, had power over deciding what Niveus should or should not do. In the end, it came down to what she decided. “We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he sighed out, not wanting to choose a position on the matter yet.

“Well, enough of that for now. Looks like it's your turn, Noct!” Laughing as he rose, Prompto's usual mood quickly returned. It was Noctis' turn to be completely baffled as the blond grabbed his arms and pulled the Prince to his feet. Eyes widening, he realized what was going on. Muttering protests, Noctis tried his hardest to struggle against Prompto's grip, but it was proving to be of little use. As Ignis passed by their side, the blond gave one final shove and sent Noctis stumbling towards the dance floor.

Laughter met his ears as he collided with someone. It was a laughter he had never heard before. Soft, and almost sad, hearing it caused him to fumble a bit more. Eventually bringing himself to stand up straight, Noctis froze for a moment when he realized who he was now with alone. Niveus looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to dance. That laugh...he was almost relieved to have finally heard such a noise from her. It had made her seem like a completely normal person for a moment.

Clearing his throat, Noctis grudgingly began to dance with the music. Keeping as far away from her as he could, he moved as slowly as possible, barely dancing at all. Had he simply left the dance floor at that moment, he knew he would never hear the end of it from his friends (he made a mental note to get them back for this). So he played his part and “danced” with her. All the while Noctis kept his eyes on anything but Niveus.

“I'm sorry...” she muttered softly, following his easy dance steps fairly well.

“For what?” he found himself asking. Intrigued by her apology, Noctis' blue eyes fell on her.

“I know you don't like me.” The way she said it, so simply, it nearly made him wince. “I may not remember much of anything, but I can at least figure out that...”

Ashamed, Noctis cast his eyes down. He had hoped he would never have to deal with this matter with her. It would have been completely fine with him had none of them brought it up. But, now that it was brought up, Noctis could not bring himself to say a word on the matter. Still, no matter how many times he tried telling himself that it was not her fault that this had happened to her, he still resented her, and was jealous of her.

“If it's because of something I've done in my ignorance due to my memory loss...then I apologize. I...only wish I could be more specific than that...”

A heavy sigh escaped Noctis as he stopped. Blinking in confusion, Niveus looked up at him. Gathering what courage he could muster, the Prince looked her in her eyes. Though her gaze still unsettled him, he managed to hold it...for a time. As much as he tried not to, it did not take him long before he looked away, his shyness overpowering any attempt he made to resolve this matter between them.

“We should get going now,” he muttered. Mentally, he was smacking his forehead for running away and changing the subject like he did. She had been the one to apologize when it should have been him. This was not how it was meant to be. At the very least, he should have at least accepted her apology, but he could not even bring himself to do that much. “It's been a long day for all of us. Rest up, and we'll be leaving in the morning.” Taking a step back to show that the matter was over, Noctis nodded in her direction, still not looking at her, and headed back towards his friends.

There were times when he really wished he was better at dealing with people, and this was one of those times. He could only hope that things would be better once they were back on the move. All this waiting around and “relaxing”...it was only making him more nervous and tense rather than relaxed. Once they were back out collecting more shards, things would get better, he hoped.

Yes...when this matter was finally done with would things go back to normal. At least, that is what Noctis kept trying to tell himself.

 


	8. Daedalus

“What is that place?” asked Niveus as she leaned forward from her seat in the back. Pulling over the top of a hill, the city before them rose up into view.

“Atherna,” answered Prompto, slowing down the car as they rounded a corner. “It's the largest coastal city in this area. Won't find another place like it!”

“Not to mention, it's also one of the largest cities overall,” corrected Ignis, pushing up his glasses like normal. “They've been able to do well thanks to their fishing industry, and, even during the cold war, this place is quite the hub for tourists. Atherna also had the largest trading connections with Zenn'thus, but ever since the war started, they've cut off all connections.”

“Zenn'thus?” Niveus tilted her head in confusion.

“It's the continent to the east,” explained Gladiolus from her side. “The continent we're on is Domumna. As soon as tensions rose, they backed out of connections with everyone over here, not wanting to get pulled into our mess. They're lucky they could do so...” The scarred man let out a huff in frustration.

Remaining silent, Noctis stared out his window at the city that drew closer and closer. It was, by far, the grandest place they had been to since leaving home. Buildings rose into the sky, causing a slight daunting feeling to befall the Prince. “It's amazing... I never expected that people could build like this...” breathed out the white-haired woman.

Taking a moment, Noctis arched an eyebrow in her direction. Over the past few weeks, rather than being indifferent towards things she saw that were new to her, she was responding in a much more impressed manner. Things the rest of them took for granted as being a normal part of life were new experiences for her. It had not taken long for Noctis to grow a bit tired of it. Maybe he was being a bit harsh, she had no memory of anything else, after all, but it still annoyed him. It was like having a kid tagging along with them, something he would not rather deal with. Just how much longer would he have to put up with it?

“Where should we start looking?” questioned Prompto once he managed to find a parking spot. As expected of one of the most bustling cities of Domumna, the sidewalks and streets were packed. As such, it would be faster to walk where they needed to go rather than drive.

Noctis stared out at the mass of people and sighed. “It's not here.”

“What?”

“It's not here,” he sighed out a bit louder, annoyed that he had to repeat himself.

“What do you mean 'it's not here'?” Taking his hand off the door, Prompto turned around in his seat to get a better look at Noctis.

Shooting Prompto a frown, the Prince tried to keep his frustration from boiling over. Was his friend choosing now of all times to pester him about the matter? Though, considering everything that had been going on for this long, he was not surprised. “I mean the Crystal Shard that we're looking for is not here.”

“But you said this is where we needed to go! It has to be here!”

Noctis blinked a couple times at his friend. “I never said it was here.”

“B-but you said we had to go east!”

“And that's what we did. I never once said it was in Atherna.”

“Then where is it?” asked Ignis before Prompto could say anything else on the matter. Judging by the blond's expression, he was not pleased with this new information.

Noctis shrugged lightly and looked back out his window. Shadows cast by the tall buildings helped to keep an otherwise warm day cool where they were. He was not looking forward to how his friends, specifically Prompto, were going to react to his answer. But there was nothing that could be done about the matter. “It's further east.”

“Noct, buddy, pal,” started Prompto. Just as the Prince suspected, he was not going to take it well. “Did you just say  _ further _ east?” For his answer, Noctis remained silent, knowing full well that his friend had not expected an actual response. “There's an entire  _ ocean _ to the east! Don't tell me it's under the water!”

With his hand, Noctis rubbed his temple to help fend off an oncoming headache. “I  _ highly _ doubt any are actually in the ocean...”

“Zenn'thus, then?” figured Ignis.

Noctis nodded at his friend, thankful that he was not taking it as badly as others. “That's my guess. Now, I won't know for certain until we actually  _ get _ there, but I'd like to hope it's there, rather than in the ocean... If it's in the ocean, then—”

“We are royally screwed,” finished Prompto. Noctis nodded lightly in agreement. Those were not quite the words he would have used, but they certainly would suffice. “So how are we gonna get there exactly?”

Reaching out, Noctis finally opened the door to the car. “We get a ship. What else did you expect?” With his friend no longer pressing the matter, he was happy to have gotten the last word in for now.

Moments after him, his friends also exited the car. With knowing what had to be done, they set off towards the docks. It had been a while since Noctis had been around so many people at once. It was a little uncomfortable for him, having to weave their way through the mass of people, but he put up with it. Despite his discomfort, he could not help but feel a little happiness over the fact that at least some places out in the rest of the world, like Atherna, were doing well. If only everywhere else could be as lucky.

The closer they got towards the docks, the stronger the smell of the ocean became. A scent of spices and fish also began to rise on the breeze, creating an oddly pleasant mix. The masses of people began to thin out as they got farther away from the tourist hot spots. Beaches to the side were still packed, but the docks they were going to were not.

Cries of gulls filled the air. Hurrying down the stairs that led to the docks, Noctis kept an eye out for someone that did not look too busy at the moment.

“Niveus, you okay?” asked Gladiolus. Turning around, Noctis looked to see what had gotten his friend concerned. Still standing at the top of the stairs, the white-haired woman had her gaze fixed on the horizon. She looked mesmerized by the view.

“It's so...vast...” she breathed out, slowly beginning to make her way down the steps. Following her gaze, Noctis stared back out at the ocean. He could not deny it, the view was quite a beautiful one, especially for someone seeing it for the first time. Calm waters stretched out as far as the eye could see. A few ships that were not anchored could be seen out on the horizon, making it look not so deserted. This he could understand her amazement at the sight of such a thing. Even for Noctis, who had seen it before when younger, enjoyed the refreshing view. “Is that the ocean you were talking about?”

“Yep! That's the Chaahng Ocean,” answered Prompto. Stretching his arms out, the blond breathed in deeply of the salty air. “And across from that gigantic mass of water is the land that we apparently need to get to! Wonder what that place looks like...”

“Then let's stop gawking, find a way to get there, and see for ourselves, shall we?” said Noctis, a bit harsher than he had intended.

“Weeeeellll, somebody's in a sour mood again.”

Not responding to his friend's tease, Noctis continued on with the task at hand. Granted, his mood was still worse off than normal, but as long as there were still shards for them to collect, he did not see that changing any time soon.

“Excuse me,” called out the Prince to the man he had been heading towards.

Looking up, the sailor nodded in greeting to the group of them. “What kin I do fer ya?”

“We're looking for a ride on a boat...”

The sailor barked out a laugh. “If it's a sail on the ocean ye tourists are lookin' fer, then head on over ta the Endless Waves south on the coast. They'll set ye up wit whatever it is ye need fer a reasonable price.”

Noctis let out an annoyed sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “We're not tourists,” he groaned out. “We need something more than just a quick sight-seeing ride on the ocean.”

“Ah...” Becoming more serious, the sailor continued to wrap up some rope around his arm. “Just what did ya 'ave in mind then?”

“We're looking for passage to Zenn'thus.”

Stopping in the middle of his work, the sailor gave Noctis a flat stare. “Ya sure all the wind is in yer sails there,  lad? Ya actually  _ want _ ta get ta that damned place?”

The Prince shifted his weight slightly and sighed. Being called stupid, no matter how the person might have worded it, did not happen often, nor did it sit well with him. “Yes,” he answered with some restraint on his part to stay calm.

“Crazy youngins lookin' fer some thrill, eh?” Noctis remained silent and did not bother to correct the man, nor did any of the others. Let him think what he will, it made no difference to them. In fact, the further away from the truth the sailor was, the better. “Well, afraid yer fun stops 'ere. No sailor wert 'is weight in salt would sail over ta that place. Even before that spineless bunch of people cut off ties wit us, no one would dare sail out there.”

“And why won't anyone sail out there?” barked out Gladiolus, seeming to find the matter a bit ridiculous.

“Monsters, lad.” The sailor's stare became grim. “The Chaahng Ocean is just rife wit them. Many a men who 'ave gone out too far never return. There was a time when convoys used ta be sent, long while ago, but the losses were too great. So once better means came 'round fer tradin', all means to get there by ocean were abandoned.”

“Is there anyone at all that would take us there for the right price?” asked Ignis. Surely there had to be some number that would make it worth it.

“Only if yer able ta cover the price of the ship, and the wert of all the lives on it, maybe. But, take ma word on the matter: no one's that desperate for Gil 'ere that they'd be willin' ta risk their lives for a little more.”

Noctis let out a sigh at the sailor's answer. Getting to the next Crystal Shard was going to be even tougher than he had first imagined. “Thanks,” he mumbled out, not feeling thankful in the least. Matters were only now worse for them as they headed back to the main part of the city to decide what to do next.

“Well,  _ that _ put a wrinkle in things,” huffed Prompto. Frustrated, the blond slung his arms behind his head, scaling up the stairs two at a time. “Just how are we meant to get to Zenn'thus now?”

Pursing his lips together, Noctis looked up to the sky. It was then when an answer came to him quite literally from the heavens. “We get passage on a ship,” he answered, a smile threatening to break out across his face.

Having just reached the top of the stairs, Prompto immediately rounded about and swiftly returned down them until he stood a couple steps above Noctis. With a frown of disapproval, he placed a hand over Noctis' head. The Prince grunted and looked to his blond friend, but remained where he was. “Do you have short-term memory loss, or something? Weren't you listening to what that sailor told us? I don't think we'll be getting a ship to take us over there any time soon.”

Since his friend had not removed his hand yet, Noctis quickly swatted it away. “Not  _ that _ kind of ship, geez. Rather than getting one that has to go on the water, let's go for one that goes  _ above _ the water.” Pointing up, Noctis waited while the rest saw what he was gesturing to. Niveus let out a cry of amazement and he knew they had seen the same thing as he had. “We'll get a ride on an  _ air _ ship.”

The giant construct of technological marvel rose up into the air. Light glinted off it, causing some of them to raise their hands to block the glare. With travelling to the remote places they had been to, they had never seen any in the sky since leaving their home. It was a rather welcoming sight for them, and, for Niveus, it was new and exciting.

As the Prince watched the airship depart, he allowed a small smile to part his lips. He always enjoyed going on an airship—to get that chance to be closer to the sky. Mentally, he smacked his forehead for not thinking of this option first. So what if he had figured travelling by sea would have been less expensive? If given the chance to choose between travelling by sea or air, air would always win for him.

“And so you think they'll go where the sea-goers won't?” questioned Gladiolus.

Noctis shrugged. Pushing his blond friend up the stairs so he could get moving once again, he had them continue on their way without saying a word. “It's worth a shot.”

“It would seem more likely now after receiving that information from the sailor,” commented Ignis. “While the trade routes via airship may now be closed between Domumna and Zenn'thus, it will hopefully be possible to at least find a pilot willing to traverse them once again.”

“Yeah, at the cost of an arm and a leg,” groaned out Prompto.

Noctis let out a weak chuckle in agreement. He knew no price could be put on saving their home, but he still wanted to keep expenses to a minimum. At least with buying passage on an airship, he hoped, had a price, rather than the impossible one the sailor hinted at for a ship.

Gladiolus then asked, “We going to find the hangers and ask around there?”

“Let's find where the pilots generally hang out first and ask there.”

With their next course of action chosen, the five of them set back off through the crowded streets. Avoiding talking to the strangers around them, Noctis let his friends ask the questions to find out where they should go. It took them many tries with asking the people they passed to find ones that were not tourists and knew decent places for them to check. Once they had directions, they set off for the Cantina that they were told airship captains often frequented.

Trying to keep away from the crowds as best as possible, Noctis navigated his way through the streets. It was hard to do, considering just how many people were there. He felt like he was part of a herd of cattle with everyone else around. People broke off to go into shops and other buildings that prospered due to the constant flow of customers. But no matter how many left, more joined the mass to replace them, keeping the number of people on the streets at a fairly constant level.

“Whoops! Sorry about that, sir!” apologized a boy who was rushing along and had bumped into Noctis. The Prince did not get a chance to say anything back before the boy had disappeared into the crowd. Exhaling in an annoyed manner, he pushed the matter aside and continued on. With so many people, he was a little surprised something like that had not happened sooner.

After making it through the crowds and down the right streets, they finally found the Cantina locals had recommended. Noctis stared up at the name of the place with a slightly disapproving look. Letting out a sigh, he made his way into the Cantina and was met by the smell of alcohol, smoke, and the sounds of music and chatter. It took him a moment to adjust to the sudden shift in environment. Going by first impressions of the place, his confidence in finding a pilot that he would feel comfortable with taking them to Zenn'thus wavered.

“Split up and ask around?” asked Gladiolus as the others entered the Cantina behind him.

“Sure, why not,” mumbled Noctis.

“It's all right, Niv, you can come with me!” Before the white-haired woman had a chance to say a word, Prompto took her hand and nearly dragged her along behind him. Noctis could not help but feel a little sorry for her after seeing the look of surprise and helplessness on her face before she and Prompto made their way into the crowds inside the Cantina.

“I'll find you if I get anything hopeful,” Ignis informed them before heading off on his own. Gladiolus merely nodded his head to Noctis before he, too, went around to ask on his own. Left by himself, Noctis let out a sigh, which then resulted in him coughing lightly as he breathed back in for he still was not used to the smell of the place. Once he cleared his throat, Noctis made his way deeper into the Cantina.

The locals had not been mistaken about the place. Nearly everyone that the Prince talked to was either a captain of an airship, or had some other position on one. He was a little surprised that there were so many localized in one place. Though, when he thought about it further, he figured that with all the people that made their way through Atherna at some point or another, it was a good hub for business.

While there were pilots a plenty to ask, the second he mentioned travelling to Zenn'thus, they laughed at him and spoke to him no further. This was quickly causing Noctis to become frustrated to no end. Was reaching there via airship as out of the question as by ocean? Running his hands through his hair to calm his nerves, he took a moment and sat down on one of the bar stools. On this journey, he tried his best to keep pushing forward with the hope that they would be able to collect all of the remaining shards, but now... The next time Prompto complained about the Crystal Shards, he may just have to join in on the ranting.

“Noctis, there you are.” Ignis came up to his side and nudged his arm. Looking up to his friend, Noctis felt a shred of hope come back. “Come on, think I may have found the captain we need.”

Noctis did not need to be told twice. Hurrying off his seat, the Prince followed his bespectacled friend back to meet this captain he spoke of. The others had already been found before him and were waiting at the booth. As soon as Noctis saw the unfamiliar person who was also sitting there, he nearly faltered in his step. Leaning back and looking very relaxed, the captain who had his feet propped up on the table had to be younger than even Noctis—certainly no older. He shot Ignis a look, who did not catch it. The captain they may very well be entrusting their very lives, not to mention the lives of everyone else from their home, was someone who was this young?

“Interesting group you have here,” commented the captain, his upper lip curled to give a slightly smug look. His messy brown hair was somewhat held under control with the use of a headband. “Well, the name's Cid Caldwell, and I'm one of the best sky captains in these parts. Give me a destination, and I can get there.” He held out his hands, as if to bask in his own glory. “What reason do you guys have to go Zenn'thus?”

“That is not something we'd be paying for you to know,” replied Noctis sternly.

Cid held up his hands in defence. “All right, all right. I know when not to pry into matters further.” Sighing, the sky captain let his feet fall off the table as he sat up straight. “You guys need to get there, that's reason enough for me.”

“You seem rather laid-back about this matter,” commented Gladiolus.

Letting out a laugh, Cid took a quick swig from his drink that had been on the table. “Trust me, this is not the oddest proposition that's crossed my table. Besides, to get the good Gil, you learn not to ask too many questions. Speaking of Gil, I can tell you now that this trip will cost you a fair bit.”

“How can flying from here to there and back cost a lot?” asked Prompto, pulling a face. The blond held up a hand before Cid could answer. “Wait, wait. Lemme guess. Monsters?”

The sky captain snapped his fingers towards the shotgun wielder. “Bulls-eye.”

“Why are there so many monsters in that area?” Niveus tilted her head to the side when she asked.

Cid's once near-smug look became something more akin to charming as he focused his attention on her. Crossing his arms, Noctis rolled his eyes at the current situation. “Well, miss, since before anyone here can remember, monsters have always infested the waters. There are those that swarm the air space between here and the coast of Zenn'thus, but those generally mass around whatever land dots the ocean, so trade routes were plotted through less-dense areas. However, with the trade routes now longer in use, there are no more patrols that go along and make sure that the number of monsters along them are kept at a minimum. Basically, there's no telling what you could run into on a flight out there.”

“Is your ship unable to deal with attacks from these monsters?” questioned Ignis.

“Oh, it can. Up to a point, at least... I think... Never been tested in those situations, actually.”

“I am overwhelmed with confidence,” muttered Noctis dryly. His comment, which he thought had been quiet enough, caused him to receive a quick glare from Cid. Seeing the young man's expression, Noctis glanced down for a second and sunk back into his seat somewhat. “So just how much would this cost us?” Shifting his weight, he hoped he had moved on to that matter quickly enough so that his previous comment would no linger.

“Twenty-thousand Gil.”

“What?!” blurted out Prompto as he rose up suddenly. “For that kind of money, we might as well  _ buy _ our own airship!”

“And just who would you get to pilot it? Do any of you know how to run an airship correctly without crashing? Do any of you know how to plot a safe and efficient course?” When none there answered him, the smug look returned to Cid's visage. “If you even find anyone else willing to fly there, I can assure you their price won't be as reasonable as mine.”

“Reasonable my a—”

“Twenty-thousand it is,” agreed Noctis without a blink of an eye. As much as he may not have liked the price, it was the only one they had found, and he was not about to waste more time looking for any others. Cid looked to Noctis, somewhat surprised by the sudden acceptance, but quickly grinned. “Only we'll pay half now, and half when we get back.”

The sky captain shrugged at the condition. “Fine with me.”

Wanting to get this matter over and done with, Noctis reached down to his pouches, and immediately felt the blood drain from his face. Lowering his head so the others could not see, Noctis frantically looked to his side where the pouches should have been.

Gone...

Everything that had been there was now gone. Among the other contents inside them, he had held the majority of the Gil they carried. The others, he knew, had some on them, but not nearly enough to cover the cost of this trip, or even half of it. Something was going to have to be done, but he did not know what...

“Something wrong?” whispered Ignis, leaning over so no one else could hear.

“My stuff's been stolen...”

There was a pause. “Just how did you manage to let  _ that _ happen?”

“It must have happened while on the streets! Yet another reason why I don't like a lot of people,” he hissed back, annoyed that his friend was not showing more support.

“What should we do?”

“I have no idea...”

“Brother! There you are!” called out a new voice. Thankful for the interruption, Noctis looked up to see a boy rushing up to their booth. “You wouldn't believe the suckers I got to—Oh, hello.” Raising a hand, the boy gave a quick greeting to them.

“You...” breathed out Noctis once the boy's appearance soaked in. Though he had only seen him for the briefest of moments before, Noctis still remembered that appearance.

“Uh-oh...”

“You're that one that ran into me! You must have taken my stuff!” Not caring about keeping his emotions in check, Noctis practically jumped up in anger. In a place like this, no one seemed to notice, or for that matter, cared about someone's anger rising to such levels.

The boy gave out a nervous chuckle. “Figure that out all on your own, did ya?”

“Hold it there, Noct!” Placing a restraining hand on Noctis' shoulder, Gladiolus kept the Prince in place. He was quietly thankful for his friend's intervention and calmed down. It was best not to draw any more attention than necessary to themselves.

Sensing the hostile environment to him, the boy started to make a break for it, but, like Noctis, was stopped. Without a moment's hesitation, Cid had reached out, grabbed his brother's jacket, and pulled him back to their booth. It looked like this was not his first time doing such a thing.

“Give him back his stuff, Valan.”

“But, Cid!”

“No buts this time. Give it all back.” Before Valan could complain again, Cid pulled him closer and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it had been, the younger brother did not seem that thrilled with the matter. Grudgingly, he pulled out Noctis' belongings and tossed them to him across the table. A wave of relief washed over Noctis once he grabbed his stuff back. “So, is the little trip to Zenn'thus still on?”

“It is, but for fifteen-thousand instead.” Noctis pursed his lips together as he attached his pouches back on. Everything inside them had been there.

“Eighteen.”

“Fine.” Glad to finally get the deal done with, Noctis tossed over half of the final amount to Cid.

Once the sky captain looked over, he seemed content. “Ah yes, this here's Valan, my younger brother, and engineer on our ship.”

“Not to mention a little thief,” grumbled Prompto.

Valan shrugged. “Not my fault the tourists here make it so easy.”

Clearing his throat, Cid stepped in before the matter could be taken any further. “When do you guys need to leave?”

“As soon as you're ready,” answered Noctis.

“Well then.” Cid took a final swig from his drink. “Let's get this show on the road!” Pulling Valan behind him, the sky captain headed out of the Cantina. Now keeping a closer eye on his belongings, Noctis followed suit, the others a few steps behind him. He was thankful to be able to breathe fresh air once again. Cursing under his breath lightly, he hurried up a bit to make sure the Caldwell brothers would not get lost in the crowd. They finally had their passage to Zenn'thus secured, and Noctis was not about to let it get away from them, especially after having paid for half of it.

The amount of people around them died down as they made their way into the hangers for the airships. Noctis became a little more relieved at this, no longer having to be so cautious. Only once they were in the air would he fully be able to take a moment to relax.

“You couldn't have picked a better airship to get you to Zenn'thus if you tried,” said Cid as he opened the doors to his hanger. Light poured in through the open ceiling, and Noctis raised a gloved hand to help deal with the sudden change in brightness.

“We're going in  _ that _ ?” asked Prompto. The moment Noctis' eyes fully adjusted, and he saw the airship, he could not help but agree with the tone his friend had taken. Having seen his share of airships before, Noctis did not particularly like the look of the one before him. If he had to choose a word for it, he would have picked run-down. He would not have gone so far as to call it junk or trash, though it was a close call.

“Hey, this baby'll get you to Zenn'thus safely. Don't start talking bad about it.” Cid shot Prompto a quick glare before he hurried to open the ramp.

“I didn't say anything like that!” retorted Prompto. “I merely asked a question.”

“Yeah, whatever...” Dismissing the matter with a wave, Cid took a step back from his airship. With some hissing and release of steam, the ramp lowered down slowly, allowing access to the rest of the airship. Before anyone else could move, Cid hurried part way up the ramp and held out his hands. A proud smile split across his face. “Well, gentlemen, and lady...welcome aboard  _ Daedalus _ !”

 


	9. Apology

Hurrying through the corridors like he knew the place like the back of his hand, Cid made his way through the interior of _Daedalus_ , barely slowing down to make sure the others were able to follow him. Footsteps clanging on metal rang through the air as he rushed up the stairs that led to the second level of the airship.

“Valan, head on down to the engine room. You know what to do!”

“Right!” Pushing past Noctis and his friends, without so much as an “excuse me”, Valan hurried down another corridor and disappeared around a corner.

Arching an eyebrow in the younger brother's direction, Noctis shook his head before continuing to follow Cid. As the Prince made his way through their new surroundings, he studied them. If he had believed the outside of the airship to be run-down, the inside was even worse. Unlike other airships he had been on, this one had rusted panels, loose wires dangling down, and various parts—that he hoped were not important to the well-being of the airship—scattered around.

They had paid that good Gil for this?

A light groan escaped Noctis. If they made it to Zenn'thus safely, it would have to be thanks to a miracle.

“Where in blazes did you even manage to _get_ a ship like this?” asked Prompto, breaking the silence that had fallen between all of them. The tone in his voice did not make it hard to understand what he truly meant by his question.

Cid shot the blond a look from over his shoulder as he paused before a door. Prompto opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off as a wince of pain escaped him instead. By his side, Ignis had been quick to kick him in his shin. The attack sent the blond stumbling to a stop.

“What he means is that we've never seen a model like this before,” corrected the bespectacled man, saving the situation only slightly.

Clear that he did not believe Ignis' words, Cid cocked his own eyebrow up before shaking his head and sighing. Shifting his focus to a panel beside the heavy door, the sky captain reached out and pushed a few buttons. With a heavy groan and hiss from inside the walls, the door slid opened to reveal the cockpit. There was seating for two people inside in front of the large window. Besides the the usual buttons and devices one would find in a cockpit, some more personal items were scattered about—books, mugs, tools, toys, amongst other things. Judging by the blankets and pillows stacked up to the side, Noctis surmised that one or both of the brothers had slept here on a regular basis.

“ _Daedalus_ used to be our father's,” answered Cid as he took a seat in the captain's chair. Noctis' attention returning to the brunet, he winced slightly at the shift in mood heard from the sky captain. Judging from their first, if rather short, meeting, the Prince would have figured Cid to, generally, be more of light-hearted, though smug and cocky, person. With how Cid's voice and mood had changed once he mentioned his father, it was like he was a different person entirely.

“Valan and I ended up spending all of our lives on this airship, learning everything there was to learn.” Swivelling around in the chair, Cid reached out and flicked on various switches on the control panels. “Once our father died a few years back, the ship, and a whole lotta debt, became ours.”

“So that's why you take these crazy jobs—”

“And steal!” interjected Prompto. Before he could say anything else, Gladiolus reached out and clamped a hand over the blond's mouth. Struggling a bit, Prompto let out some muffled cries of protest before he gave up. At his friends' actions, Noctis could only lower his head and pinch of the bridge of his nose.

“—that most people wouldn't take?” finished Ignis without paying attention to Prompto's comment.

Shooting a smug grin over his shoulder at them, Cid seemed back to what Noctis believed to be his normal personality. “That and we're always up for a good adventure. Those wusses can rot back on land for all I care while my brother and I get the good stuff.” Focusing his attention back to his airship, Cid reached out and pressed down a larger button. A buzz and some static went off before he asked, “Valan, everything ready in there?”

_“Ready to go, brother!”_ came the bodiless voice of Valan over the intercom system.

Letting go of the button, Cid cracked his knuckles. “Time to show you that you don't always judge a book by its cover.” After a push of a few more buttons and switches around him, Cid then placed his hands on the yoke and the airship suddenly hummed to life. Light vibrations that travelled through the floor and their bodies let everyone know that even _Daedalus_ was eager to fly. Such a heavy airship belonged in the sky, not on the ground.

Noctis felt his lips curl into a small grin as Cid pulled the yoke back and _Daedalus_ began to lift off the ground. Even with where they were in the cockpit, the hum of the engine could be heard through the bowels of the airship. Its heart beating; the cold machine was brought to life. It had been some since he was last on an airship. As the Prince hung around near the door to the cockpit, not wanting the others to see his excitement too much, he felt almost...giddy. To be in the sky again was always a thrill.

The roof of the hanger slipped below the view that could be seen from the cockpit. Buildings that were once high above fell beneath them as the airship rose up and up. At least _Daedalus_ was certainly capable of flying upward smoothly enough. Everything slowly rotated around the ship until the Chaahng Ocean came into sight.

“What was _that_?” asked Prompto, a little nervous. A loud shudder had shook through the airship, causing Noctis and his friends to grow concerned.

“Nothing at all to worry about!” laughed Cid. Despite his words, there was even a hint of concern in his tone. Acting quickly, he fiddled with some more controls and _Daedalus_ grew steady once again. “Any place in particular you need to get to in Zenn'thus?”

“Just get us there. It doesn't matter where,” answered Noctis, his arms crossed. He licked his lips nervously, seriously beginning to wonder if this old ship would be able to make the journey to the eastern continent in one piece.

“All right.” Leaning forward, Cid input some information into the control panel, took control of the yoke again, and sat back as the airship came to full life. Atherna slipped out from beneath them as _Daedalus_ took off towards the clear waters of the ocean. Noctis and his friends stumbled back a couple steps, not having expected such a burst of acceleration after the slow climb into the sky. “I've set a course to a non-populated part of the Zenn'thus coast—at least it shouldn't be populated according to what was known about them from before the cold war—and then we'll head up to one of their cities. Wouldn't look too good if we came from across the ocean directly.” Cid let out a nervous laugh as he scratched his cheek. “First time on an airship, miss?” There was a pause of silence. “Miss?” All eyes shifted over to where he was looking at.

Standing as close to the cockpit window as possible, Niveus stared out at the water that sped along beneath them. If it were not for how the airship were built, Noctis suspected that she would have been plastered right up against the cool glass to enjoy the view.

“It is,” answered Prompto for her once it became clear that Niveus was not about to speak. “Poor girl, lived quite the sheltered life, actually.” Letting out an exasperated sigh, the blond walked up to her side and placed a hand on the white-haired woman's shoulder.

Drawn from her near-trance state, Niveus looked back to Prompto. The only hint of confusion on her face were that her eyebrows were slightly more drawn together than usual. “What? That is not—”

“—How you like to think of it. I know, Niv, I know.” Patting her on her shoulder, the blond pulled her away from the window. As he did, Noctis noticed his friend lean over and whisper something to the bearer of the Crystal Shards. The Prince arched an eyebrow, wondering just what he was talking about when it became clear: it would probably not look too good to Cid if he found out they were travelling with a woman who had lost all memory. Noctis let out a light sigh in relief, quietly thankful for his friend's quick thinking.

Cid narrowed his eyes skeptically for a moment, finding that moment a little odd along with everyone else. “Well,” he grunted, reaching forward to flick a few more buttons and switches again. Noctis could not help but wonder if he was doing that partially for show... “If you thought that view was something, then you haven't seen anything till you've been on deck. C'mon, you guys should all see—you look like you could use a break.” The sky captain let out a laugh once he saw the sour looks that were directed at him for his comment. Reaching out, Cid pressed down the intercom button once more. “Hey, Val. Course is all set, so we're gonna head out on deck—show these land-lovers what it really means to be in the sky.” A bark of a laugh escaped him, as though he were the one excited to be up in the air once more. “Oh, and see if you can't do anything about that...shakier-than-normal launch...”

A crackle filled the air before Valan's voice was once again heard: “ _Yeah, yeah, make me do all the hard work while you take it easy! Why am I not surprised?_ ” The hum and whir from what had to be the engine could be heard as undertone beneath his voice.

Rolling his eyes, Cid shook his head lightly. “You can come join us up there once done! Honestly... Not like you haven't done this stuff before.”

“ _Do you have_ any _idea how long it takes to tune-up this thing these days?_ ” Leaning back in his chair, Cid massaged his temples. It did not look like this was the first time his younger brother got heated with him. “ _Hey! Hey! Cid! I know you can hear me! You better not have walked out of—_ ” There was a fairly loud and odd noise heard over the intercom. “— _Ah crap... Enjoy your time on deck!_ ” With a final crackle, Valan's voice went away.

“So! Let's get out of this crowded cockpit, huh?” Standing up quickly, Cid began to usher all of them out.

“Is everything going to be okay?” asked Ignis, arching an eyebrow.

“Fine, perfectly fine.” The sky captain put on an overly-wide smile. “Valan's a genius when it comes to engines, so no need worry about it. He just likes to make things seem worse than they really are so he looks like a miracle-worker.”

“That noise didn't seem too made-up to me,” grumbled Gladiolus while passing through the door into the corridor.

“As I'm sure you've been able to tell, this is a rather old ship. Finding the right parts keeps getting harder and harder. I'm sure Valan just has to make a quick replacement and we'll be fine.” Throwing his hands into the air and waving aside the matter, Cid began to lead them through the corridors once again. Not voicing their concerns, the friends stayed quiet until they came to a large door.

Grunting, Cid pulled the lock undone and the door swung open. Wind rushed in at such a great force that their footing staggered. Once it equaled out, the sky captain hurried outside first, gesturing for the others to follow.

Noctis felt revived as soon as he stepped outside. Clean, cool air filled his lungs as he breathed deep. Clouds rolled by above them as _Daedalus_ sped on through the skies thanks to the autopilot, the hum from the ship adding an oddly pleasant background noise. A one-sided smile tugged at his lips as the Prince walked over to the high railing and peered downward. Much like in the air above them, smaller clouds zipped under the ship, and below that, the ocean.

It felt nostalgic to him to be out here. When he had been younger, Noctis always enjoyed getting the chance to ride on an airship. It did not happen too often, which made it all the more exciting and memorable. Had he not been weighed down with the duties of royalty, and had actually been a _normal_ person, he could see himself having become a sky captain. It had been a dream of his when younger, to be a sky captain. But that was how it would remain: as a dream.

“Enjoying the view there?” asked Cid with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Noctis looked around and spotted Niveus standing not too far down the deck, also staring out at the marvelous view. Clearing his throat, the Prince quickly pulled back and hid the thrill he felt over being in the sky once more. With a light cough, he looked anywhere but at his friends or Cid. He felt somewhat embarrassed over having acted like a kid would have—like Niveus was doing. This was merely part of the journey to restore their home, not a vacation for their enjoyment.

“It's stunning...” breathed Niveus. Pulling her gaze away from the horizon, she looked over to Cid. “You must enjoy being out here.”

Cid shrugged lightly. “We've actually never been out across the ocean before; only ever done jobs that took us over land.” Stretching his arms above his head, the brunet let out a long sigh, enjoying the feel of the place himself. “But I'd sure take this over one of those slow boats any day.”

“How long should it take to get to Zenn'thus?” questioned Noctis having had enough of a break for now. The view would remain, and they had ogled at it long enough for his liking.

Running his hand through his hair, Cid glanced up in thought. “That's actually a bit hard to say...”

“Humor me.”

“A day, I suppose? It'll probably vary depending on the circumstances...”

“What _sort_ of circumstances?” asked Prompto warily.

“Uh...weather can affect us slightly, that and we gotta watch out for trouble...”

“External or internal trouble?”

Cid sheepishly looked to the side before muttering, “Both...”

Giving an exasperated sigh of his own, Noctis returned to the side of the deck, threw his arms on the safety railing, and let his head and shoulders fall in a hopeless manner. All he could keep telling himself was it was good they had at least been able to find a ship and captain that could take them.

“Well, feel free to explore around _Daedalus_. Make yourselves at home, and all that. Just...don't touch too much, okay?”

“Yeah, wouldn't want this airship suddenly crashing into the ocean and sinking,” groaned out the blond.

“Hey, I've told you: _Daedalus_ will get you to Zenn'thus in one piece...” Cid crossed his arms in defence. There was a pause before he added, “...As long as you don't mess anything up.”

 

Noctis tossed and turned on his bed. Thanks to the number of quarters on _Daedalus_ , they had finally each gotten a room to themselves for the first time since leaving their home. The constant hum of the ship that let them all know that it was running smoothly filled Noctis' ears, but it was not what kept him awake. Thoughts ran through his mind and did not give him a single quiet moment in which he could let sleep take over. However, with the dreams and nightmares that were most likely waiting for him in the land of slumber, he did not mind too much he if stayed awake a bit longer.

Pulling his blankets tighter around him, the Prince tried to push the thoughts that had been putting him at such unease recently out of mind. Nothing he tried worked. For a few moments, he was successful in thinking of other things, but his thoughts were quick to return to those that troubled him. After what felt like a couple good long hours—though in reality it had only been a few minutes—Noctis gave up, sprawled out his limbs on the small bed, and stared up at the ceiling of his room.

There was only one thing he could do to rid the troubling thoughts: confront them.

Once his mind was made up, Noctis pulled himself out of bed, threw on a top and boots, an headed out of his room. It was odd having his footsteps be the only ones that clanged against the steel floor as he made his way down the corridor. Though night had fallen, it was still as bright inside the airship as it had been when they first boarded. Slowing to a stop, Noctis chewed on his bottom lip and stared at the door before him. It had not been far to get from his temporary quarters to Niveus'.

Wringing his hands together, Noctis tossed the idea of whether or not he should do this back-and-forth in his mind a few times. With a shake of his head, he mentally scolded himself for considering backing down. It was time he dealt with this matter and stopped avoiding it like a child. After he let out a long sigh, Noctis raised a hand and knocked tentatively on Niveus' door.

He quickly pulled his hand away, held them both behind his back, and stood tall. He would deal with this matter with class and respect, as he had been raised to do so. Eventually, Noctis began to rock back-and-forth on his feet, feeling that he had waited more than long enough for her to come to the door. Perhaps he had just not knocked hard enough. Clearing his throat, he brought forth his hand and rapped his knuckles against the cold door once more, this time making it louder.

Still nothing.

Noctis' brow scrunched together. Was she already asleep? They had turned in only moments ago, and he recalled how she always was awake whenever he woke during the night. Surely she could not have fallen asleep so quickly.

“Niveus?” he called out, his throat turning out to be a bit drier than he expected. After a few moments, Noctis licked his lips impatiently, surprised at himself for how nervous he was becoming. Fed up with waiting, Noctis frowned. Even his patience had a limit. “Niveus?” he tried again, reaching out to the handle of her door, momentarily surprised that it was not locked. Opening it, he peeked in to look for any signs of her inside. “Are you asleep ye—” The door having swung all the way open, Noctis saw where she was. “Yet... Oh...”

Looking over her back towards the door, Niveus had stopped in the middle of taking off her shirt.

The image of what he was seeing fully sunk in and Noctis felt heat like never before rise to his cheeks. His voice caught in his throat as he opened his mouth in attempts to say something. The white-haired woman continued to stare at the Prince, waiting for him to say something.

“S-sorry!” he finally managed to blurt out. Averting his gaze, he pulled back and nearly slammed her door shut. Turning around, Noctis slumped against the door and repeatedly hit the back of his head against it. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” he repeated to himself several times. Walking into her room like that had certainly been a class-act move. Just what had he been thinking? A part of him was answering that question with the fact that he had _not_ been thinking.

His eyes snapping open wide, he quickly looked down the corridor to see if anyone had been roused from the noise when it hit him: there had been no noise. No shriek. No yell. No sound of an object being thrown against the door followed by a “get out!”. Niveus had remained completely silent while the only commotion that had been caused was due to Noctis.

His brow furrowing, Noctis pursed his lips together in thought. Was it not natural for a woman to get embarrassed after an event like that? While not his intent, he _had_ walked in on her in the middle of changing, after all. Heat returned to his cheeks at the mere thought of it. Shaking his head, he tried to keep the image of her bare back from returning to his mind. It was not something proper for...

Noctis blinked, his embarrassment immediately fading. The image of her skin... It had not been smooth like he expected. Rather, across her back and what he saw of her arms had been a multitude of scars. Noctis' brow knotted together in concern. What had caused the scars? Did she have more? When did she get them? He would have thought on the matter further when suddenly he nearly fell backward.

Stumbling a moment, Noctis managed to keep himself from falling and righted himself back up as he turned around. Niveus had opened her door and was standing before him.

“My apologies. I must not have heard you knocking...” she muttered, her expression the neutral one that everyone had come to expect to see from her. “Was there something you wanted?”

“S-sorry for barging in-in like that...” he mumbled, bowing his head, and his embarrassment returning. Though he had not technically barged in, it still felt like the right thing to say.

“It is fine. Is...that all?”

“No!” he blurted out. He mentally cursed at himself. Of course now would be the time for him to start fumbling and messing up what he had planned. Breathe. He had to remember to breathe and he could get through this. Though, for the past two months, he had never sought out to speak with Niveus like this. As a Prince, he knew he had to appear strong and well-versed when it came to discussing matters with people, but the truth was that he could still be rather shy at times. Attempting to calm his nerves, Noctis cleared his throat. “I-I was wondering if...if I may...talk with you...” Unable to look her in the eyes any longer, he lowered his gaze.

“You may.”

Noctis sighed out through his nose in slight annoyance. Her habit of giving short and to-the-point answers with no elaboration had not completely gone. “Mind if we go out on the deck?” he offered. Gesturing in the direction they would have to travel, he looked up in time to see her nod. Opening his mouth to say something more, he quickly closed it, sighed to himself, and began to head down the corridor once again, Niveus trailing behind him.

Reaching the door that led outside, Noctis opened it slowly. Air rushed around them once again, a reminder to just how fast they were travelling. Keeping to the side, he allowed Niveus to walk out first. Clumps of her hair danced on the strong breeze once she escaped the protection from the rest of the airship. Closing the door behind him, Noctis walked over to the tall railing and soon had her joining him at his side.

Clasping his hands together, the Prince began to wonder just how he should deal with this matter. The perfect plan he had formulated before heading to her room slipped from his mind and he could not remember a word of it. This was not going as well as he had hoped.

“It's even more splendid than it was during the day,” sighed Niveus. Noctis blinked and looked over. Following her gaze, he saw the waves lapping across the ocean's surface that reflected the bright light from the moon. Glancing up, he stared at the moon and few stars that could be seen through the scattered clouds. It had been a while since he was last able to enjoy the night sky like this. Any tension that had been building up inside of him faded away.

“I'm...sorry,” he finally admitted.

The sound of her vest flapping could be heard as a stronger breeze blew past them. Keeping his gaze fixed on the night sky, he did not see her glance over to him. “I already said it was fi—”

“N-not that...” he corrected her, still getting a little flustered over the matter. Noctis closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to look at her, but failed and ended up looking at his hands instead. “I'm sorry...for how I've been treating you over the past two months.” His heart began to beat loudly in his chest. Why was saying this getting him so nervous? Admitting he had been mistaken about someone, or just wrong in general, did not happen very often... Perhaps that was the reason, he thought. “I've been rude and treating you unfairly, and for that...I'm sorry...”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Surprised by her words, he glanced over enough to see her tilting her head at him. Did she not understand what an apology was? No, that could not be it. She had apologized to him a couple weeks ago, and it had been that apology that made him finally stop acting so childish over this matter. Did she just not understand the reason behind his apology? Until she fully understood and accepted his apology, he would not be able to rest easy.

“Ever since the start of this journey I've...been jealous that the Crystal Shards have chosen you over me, and even hated that you had to join us on this mission...” He sighed and swallowed. Talking about his emotions, even to his best friends, was not something he excelled at. Talking to Niveus about them was proving to be even worse. “But those feelings were terribly misplaced. You were thrown into this mess against your choice. Now you no longer know who you are, where you're from, or even where you are and how this world works. Then, to make matters only worse for you, I end up being...well, a jerk to you from the very beginning. It...was never something I should have blamed you for.” Swallowing his pride away, Noctis backed up and bowed low to her. “Will...will you forgive me?” Unable to look up, he kept his head down and remained bowing until she spoke.

Time seemed to slow as he waited for an answer. His heart pounded loudly against his chest. It was though a hand was beginning to squeeze tighter and tighter around him, making things very uncomfortable for him. He was very glad that none of his other friends were awake and witnessing this. If they did...Noctis knew he would never hear the end of it.

“I forgive you.”

Surprised, Noctis let out a breath he had unintentionally been holding in. The hand around him let go, and he felt his heartbeat slow. It was as though a weight that had been on his shoulders since the start of this journey was finally lifted. Relieved, he began to stand straight again, and saw her staring straight at him. It was then, as their gazes met, that he noticed something he had not seen in her eyes before.

Though still unnaturally pale, and still rather unnerving to look at for a long amount of time, there was something else about them now: there was a warmth in them that had not been there when they first met her.

They looked like they now belonged to a human being.

Glancing back out to the ocean, Noctis returned to the railing and threw his arms casually over it. A slight sinking feeling made his gut churn. More so than just not treating her fairly until now, Noctis realized, he had not been treating her as a _human_. Just because she had lost her memories did not mean she had stopped being human. ...Right?

“What is it that you want from this?”

“What?” coughed Noctis in surprise. Did she assume he had only asked for her forgiveness so he could get something else? “Your forgivene—”

“Not that,” she chuckled out, a soft smile lifting up the corners of her mouth. For a moment, Noctis stared at her in surprise. Hearing such a noise from her was a rare matter indeed. It was comforting, actually, to know she was still capable of such a thing, and that it had not been a one-time fluke from before. “You said before that people don't normally do things without wanting something in return...” Staring up in thought, Noctis scrunched his face together slightly as he tried to remember just when he had said that. He had a _vague_ recollection of saying something of the like to Niveus. “So, what is it that you want from this journey?”

The Prince blinked a couple times, surprised that she had asked such a question. “To...get our Crystal restored,” he answered, almost tentatively as though it was going to be a wrong answer.

“That's what you _will_ get from this. What is it that you _want_?”

Noctis was almost stunned. He had never expected her to be asking such a thing of him, or any of them. Seeing that the only way out of this was to give an answer that she found satisfactory, he took a moment to think. What _was_ it that he wanted from this? He had been sent out to collect the Crystal Shards; it had not been his choice. If it was... No, he could not think like that. _When_ it was restored, then what? “I want...my people to be safe, for one. And, for that to happen, this cold war needs to finally end... So, I guess, what I want most, is for the cold war to stop.” Sighing, the Prince leaned his head back and stared up at the stars. “No one—not my people nor anyone else—deserves to live in fear like they do every day...” He shook his head lightly. They were first going to have to restore the Crystal before he could even return to thinking about such things. “What about you?” he asked back, a bit more cheekily than he had intended. She had pestered him, so now it was his turn. “What do you _want_?”

Niveus was still and silent for a time. Seeing that he would not be getting an answer soon, Noctis began to drum his fingers against the cool railing. Perhaps she was going through the many number of things she could want, finding it hard to pick one or at least narrow it down to a handful. And yet...

“Nothing.”

Noctis blinked.

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

A light scoff in surprise escaped the Prince. “That's—”

“What I want,” she finished for him. Content with her answer, she nodded.

Noctis mouthed the word and shook his head. It did not seem right. “But, what about your memories?”

Niveus tilted her head like she often did when confused. “What about them?”

“What about...?” he started to repeat, his brow becoming deeply furrowed. “Don't you want them _back_?”

“No.”

Rather confused, the Prince blinked several times. Grunting, he looked back out at the glistening waters of the ocean and tried to make sense of her answer. Unable to, he then asked, “Why not?”

“If my memory loss is connected to these Crystal Shards, like Ignis suspects, then I may or may not get them back upon restoring your Crystal.” Her fingertips brushed over the shard that hung around her neck, the one visible reminder of what they were doing out here. “Whether I want them or not is irrelevant to that. Either I will get them back...or I will not.” She shrugged lightly. “Besides, what if I get them back, and I don't like them? What if there was something I had wanted to forget? What if I don't like who I was?”

Sheepishly, Noctis scratched the back of his head. He was beginning to regret having asked her this. “I...hadn't thought of it that way before...” Memories, and memory loss, certainly could be a tricky thing, he figured.

“I'm not saying that being unable to remember anything is ideal, but...right now, at least, I am content with not having my memories.”

Noctis grunted in understanding. Now that all of this was behind him, he knew he could get some rest—given that he was not disturbed by another nightmare. But, despite that, he did not want to go to sleep just yet. Now that the nagging feeling that had been at the back of his mind since the beginning of this journey was gone, he wanted to stay up a bit longer and enjoy it.

“May...” His voice nearly cracking, Noctis cleared his throat and started again. Now was not a time to get embarrassed over a simple request. “Those scars of yours... May I see them?”

Niveus looked over to him, a slight hint of surprise in her gaze. Without protest, she rolled a sleeve up to her shoulder. Holding out her arm, she allowed Noctis to see it clearly for the first time. Thanks to the light from the moon, it was possible to see her scars despite the time of night.

Gently, Noctis helped to hold up her arm as he looked at the scars. Bandages were wrapped around her forearm, but they stopped once they reached her elbow. With her loose sleeves, he figured it was thanks to the bandages that he had never noticed her scars until tonight. They were scars that could only have come from rather deep wounds. And the number of them... It made him feel a little sick to his stomach when he remembered that these scars covered her back as well, if not more of her body. He traced each of them with his gaze, like following roads on a map, for they were all connected. With how they looked, it was as though someone had shattered her skin and put the pieces back together. To have scars that looked like this...it was not normal at all.

“How did you get these?” he whispered out.

“I...”

“Don't know. Right... Sorry.” Noctis chided himself lightly for asking such a silly question. The scars were quite old, and clearly were not obtained since they met her, so how could she have possibly known how she got them? “Do they hurt?”

“Sometimes,” she answered truthfully. Dropping his hands, Noctis allowed her to pull her arm back and push her sleeve back down. “But it's normally minimal...”

“ _Normally_?”

“Sometimes they hurt more... As though a searing pain is running along them...” It disturbed him slightly at how nonchalantly she was talking of this matter.

Noctis let out a frustrated sigh. “For the love of... Why didn't you tell us? We might have been able to help!” He did not point out that he probably would not have cared so much in the beginning. That was in the past now, at least.

“I didn't want to trouble you.”

Resisting the temptation to smack his forehead, Noctis merely slung his arms back over the railing. “Fine, whatever,” he sighed, finished with the matter. Unless she did end up getting her memories back, those scars would remain a mystery. “Let's just get some sleep.” If he tried to continue talking with her, Noctis was certain he would wind up with a headache before long. He had completed what he had set out to do, at least, that was something he would be able to take comfort in over the next few days.

Pushing the heavy door open so that they could head back inside, Noctis stepped to the side to allow Niveus in first. It was then, before they entered, that the airship gave a sudden lurch. It was so jarring and sudden that both of them were sent stumbling to the ground. Pulling himself back up, Noctis whipped his head around, wondering just what had caused that.

“ _Get yer asses out of bed!_ ” called out Cid's voice over the intercom. It was difficult to hear him outside due to the wind tearing his voice away, so Noctis quickly stood in the doorway so he could hear it from inside easily. “ _We've got a_ big _problem!_ ”

The Prince wished Cid could have been at least been a _bit_ more specific. Was the problem due to mechanical failure, or...

A loud roar that rose over the whipping winds was the answer to Noctis' question.

“ _We've got a flock of Sorathans after us! I'll need someone to help me with weapons in here. The rest...find some other way to attack them!_ ”

Gritting his teeth, Noctis hurried back out to the deck. He was not about to let a flock of fiends stop them from reaching Zenn'thus. Holding out his hand, the Prince was confident that he would be able to... His hopes plummeted faster than ever before. Despite having collected around a third of the shards he believed were out there, and having Niveus near him, they had not answered his call. Hand achingly empty, his sword was no where to be seen.

A sudden gush of wind caused him to make sure his footing remained secured. Looking up, he saw the first few Sorathan fiends fly up to the side of _Daedalus_ . Without the Crystal Shards answering his call, Noctis stared helplessly up at the winged fiends that were causing them the problem. There was no way for the Prince to know when he could use his abilities in this fight, and when he could not. Considering their location for this fight, that made him, for the first time, _scared_ to try and use his powers.

One wrong move and he could wind up in a situation where he, or anyone else, would be unable to save him.

It was like the start of their journey all over again. Once more, Noctis felt like he would be useless in this fight. Without his powers, how would he be helpful against these monsters that looked like they, more often than not, would remain at a distance? Cursing under his breath, Noctis whirled around and headed back to the door. At least now, thanks to the airship, there was something for him to do.

Leaping down the last few steps on the flight of stairs, Noctis barrelled along the corridor. “I'll help Cid with the weapons. You help however you can out on deck,” Noctis ordered back to Niveus who he knew was not far behind. Up ahead, he saw his friends rounding the corner. Judging by their appearances, they had been woken up fairly suddenly thanks to the attack and Cid's yelling.

“What the?” mumbled Prompto as they neared. The blond rubbed his eyes in attempts to rid some more drowsiness. “What were you two doi—”

“Not now, Prompto. _Not now_!” Noctis hissed back at his friend without slowing down. He did not wait for any of them to say anything else before he broke off to head down a different corridor. This was the one he needed to get to the cockpit. At least, he was pretty certain of it. Another sudden lurch of the airship caused Noctis to nearly stumble up the flight of stairs.

“ _What's taking you guys so long? Get_ moving _!_ ” Noctis grumbled something under his breath as he pushed onward, thankful that the corridors were looking familiar once again. Before long, he saw the open door to the cockpit and did not slow down one bit until he took the free seat. “Ah, finally!” sighed Cid. The sky captain was busy maneuvering the airship so that it would be harder for the Sorathans to attack. “See the screen in front of you? We're the big blue dot, and the fiends are the little red dots. Use the controls to lock onto them, then fire the missiles. Don't hit anything that's too close to us, though! Having one of those babies explode in our face could cause more damage than the Sorathans.”

“Right,” muttered Noctis, quickly trying to get a hang of the controls. They were rather different from previous airships he had been on.

“You guys out on the deck yet?” Cid asked into the intercom system.

“ _We're here,_ ” answered back Niveus' voice after a moment.

“Attack them however you can, but focus on the ones that are closest to _Daedalus_!”

Getting a lock, Noctis fired the first missile. He felt a slight wave of relief come over him when he saw one of the red dots disappear from the screen. They might just get through this after all.

“See? Not too hard,” grinned Cid. Noctis merely shot him an unamused stare before he returned his focus to the screen before him. “I'll try to get away from them so you can keep on firing!” As if to prove his point, Cid pulled back on the yoke and suddenly veered to the left. It had worked, at least. Locking onto one of the fiends that was now at a safe distance, Noctis quickly blasted it from the sky.

All was going well, until...

“What's going on out there?” asked Noctis. There were only three Sorathans left on the screen, but they were too close to the ship for him to safely fire the missiles. No matter what Cid tried, he could not pull away from them.

“Hey! Guys! Hurry up and kill the last ones out there!” Cid yelled angrily.

There was a moment before, “ _We can't any more!_ ” Prompto matched Cid's level of anger in his voice. “ _They've become resistant to our magic attacks, and my bullets can't do enough on their own!_ ”

Cid punched the arm of his chair. “Dammit!” Running a hand over his face, he seemed at a loss for what to do. “I guess we have no choice... We're going to have to—”

“Uh...there's a much larger red dot on the screen now...” informed Noctis before Cid could say his plan.

“What?”

The Prince pointed to the screen and the new entity that had appeared on it. Craning his head over, the sky captain took a look. “It's coming at us...fairly fast...”

“Oh...damn...”

“Do you want me to fire at it?”

“No!” Cid was quick in his response. “At that size, it can be only one thing, and our missiles won't be able to even scratch it.”

“ _What the hell_ is _that thing?!_ ” came Prompto' frantic voice.

“It's the largest monster of the skies! The Saigo Geulim!”

“What should we do?” asked both Noctis and Prompto at the same time.

Cid sat back in his chair and gripped the yoke. “Get back inside!” he ordered to those out on the deck. To Noctis, he said, “We wait...” He let out a sigh. “If it has its sight on us, then there's not really much we can do. But, just maybe...” The sky captain let his words trail off.

Huffing under his breath, Noctis stared back at the screen and to the large dot that was drawing closer and closer. When it neared, the three remaining Sorathans scattered off of _Daedalus_. Before they got to a distance where Noctis would have been able to fire missiles at them, they were devoured as the dot of the Saigo Geulim overtook them. Even from inside the cockpit, they could hear the final cries of the fiends as death took them.

Hearing something spatter against the window, Noctis looked up to see fresh blood dripping down.

“Aw man, now I gotta clean that...”

Noctis swallowed nervously as a massive shadow suddenly darkened their vision. “Be glad if that's all you have to do to your ship...” Leaning forward, the Prince attempted to look up into the sky to find this Saigo Geulim. He got his wish as the gargantuan fiend flew overhead. _Daedalus_ shook from the mere force of wind that was caused by its wings. With the fiend starting to turn, it looked like they might just be safe. But, Noctis had thought that too soon.

Hit by something large, the airship began to veer drastically. The angle was so great that Noctis nearly fell out of his seat. A siren began to wail. Reaching out, Cid gripped the yoke and tried to right them as quickly as possible. The Saigo Geulim had not actually attacked them, but merely grazed them as it flew by. As the fiend pulled away from their vision, Noctis could only wonder what damaged might have been caused had it actually decided to attack them.

“ _Cid! We've got a problem!_ ” yelled out Valan's voice.

“What's wrong?” Reaching forward, Cid flicked a switch that turned off the noise coming from the siren. Though now quieter, a red light still flashed on the control panel.

“ _We were damaged from that last blow! With how things are now, we won't be able to stay in the air much longer._ ”

“Can you fix it?”

“ _Of course I can fix it! What kind of engineer do you take me for?_ ” Cid merely rolled his eyes at his brother's comment. “ _But I won't be able to fix it in the amount of time we can remain airborne!_ ”

“We have to land,” said Noctis.

“You kidding?! If you thought what just happened was bad, it'd probably be ten times worse on one of the islands!”

Noctis abruptly rose, giving off the air of command. “What would you rather do? Have your airship sink into the ocean? Just find a place to land, fix your airship and leave anything else to us.” Without waiting to see how Cid would respond, the Prince turned on his heel and briskly walked out of the cockpit. Only once he was far enough away did he breathe out a long sigh. Pinching the bridge of his nose as he headed down the corridors, he could only hope that they would be able to reach it to Zenn'thus safely.

“What did that monster want?” asked Prompto once he and Noctis' other friends came into view.

“A midnight snack,” answered Noctis. Opening the door to his room, he quickly hurried in, grabbed his leather coat and sword, and headed back out.

“Getting ready for something?” Gladiolus arched an eyebrow at the Prince. Sighing, Noctis quickly explained the slight detour that they would be taking.

Slinging his hands behind his head, Prompto grumbled out, “Well, ain't that just peachy.”

 

_Daedalus_ shook once it landed on the ground. Reaching out, Cid began to power down the airship.

“Any idea how many monsters are on this island?” asked Ignis.

“That's the odd thing...” Leaning back in his chair, Cid steepled his fingers. “The sensors didn't pick up anything. Not that I'm complaining, it's why I chose this one, but it is just a little odd...” With a sigh, he pushed himself up and headed out of the cockpit, the others following. As they made their way through the interior of the airship, Valan met up with them. Once Cid lowered the ramp, they were all allowed to step outside.

Pulling away from the group, the Caldwell brothers looked up and studied their airship. While they focused on that, Noctis found himself focusing on something else. Despite Cid having told them there was nothing on the island, the Prince was sensing...something.

“How long should it take to repair?” questioned Ignis.

“Eh, most of this stuff is external and won't affect our flying, so that can be handled later.” Cid waved lazily towards the hull of the airship.

Valan groaned lightly. “The engine though... Few hours, no later than morning, hopefully. If all goes well, at least.”

“Hopefully we won't be disturbed here.”

“Hey, Noct, you okay?” Gladiolus asked once he saw how the Prince was focused on something towards the inner part of the island.

“Something's here,” answered Noctis, not taking his eyes away from where he looked. The lingering feeling on the back of his mind would not go away. There was something familiar about it, and not familiar in a comforting way.

“Impossible!” huffed out Cid. “The sensors didn't pick up anyth—”

“There _is_ something here,” Noctis said again, this time more sternly.

Ignis was the one to ask, “ _What_ is here?”

Closing his eyes, Noctis tried to remember just where he had felt this feeling before. There was something dangerous on this island... Something that began to spark a hint of fear inside of him. The fear was not his own, however. The fear belonged to something else, and he was merely sharing the emotion with it. Noctis' eyes snapped open when he remembered.

Though it was not as strong as had been the first time he felt this fear, there was no mistake about it. This fear could only be caused by one thing. Noctis silently cursed under his breath. He had hoped he would never have to deal with this again. Opening his mouth, he was prepared to answer when it was Niveus who spoke instead; the same fear that he felt echoed in her voice:

“ _Destroyers_...”

 


	10. Caretaker

 “Wait, wait,” started Prompto, running his hand through his hair. “Destroyers? You mean like that Obruo thing we fought before?”

“The very same,” muttered Noctis. He gritted his teeth at the thought of what had happened back then. The Obruo. The woman Acantha—whose name he would not be able to forget. The questions that were raised by what had occurred. Who, or what, had been able to create such organic-looking machines? Powered by its own crystal, Noctis had assumed that the Obruo had come from the time of the Crystal Age, yet they were certain (as they could be considering they had no access to records) that no such thing had ever existed. But exist it did.

“Weeeellll, isn't this just  _great_ . Why not serve us up on a dinner platter to those blasted things while we're here?” Shotgun in hand, Prompto threw up his arms to emphasize just how crazy he found the whole situation.

“It's not that kind of threat,” responded Noctis calmly. Brow knotting together, Noctis licked his lips apprehensively, trying to make sense of the feeling that gnawed him on the back of his mind. Though the same thing was causing the fear as last time, there was something different about it.

“Not that kind of...” Prompto let out an exasperated huff. Placing his hands on his hips, the blond walked over and stood in front of Noctis. Despite the efforts of his friend, Noctis continued to stare of toward the inner island, giving the sense that he was looking through his friend. “Do you even  _remember_ how hard it was to destroy that thing?!”

“I do.”

“Really now? Well, you could've fooled me! We barely managed to destroy that Obruo, and that was only 'cause it was already heavily damaged!”

“How is it not the same kind of threat?” asked Ignis, remaining calm.

Noctis glanced over and was silently grateful for the constant level-headedness of his bespectacled friend. “I'm...not quite sure,” answered Noctis after a moment. Glancing down, he tried to find a way to describe it so that they could understand. “The same threat is there...it's just...just...”

“Dormant,” finished Niveus. The pale woman stared at the same place Noctis had been moments before. Unlike the last time they came across the Obruo, she was appearing to be rather calm and collected. It was as though now she had faced the fear before, she was capable of handling it better. “It's quiet... Resting...”

“How 'bout we let it keep on resting?” offered Gladiolus.

“I second that!”

“What the  _heck_ are you guys going on about?”

Blinking in surprise, Noctis looked over to where the voice had come from. Standing where they had been to take a look at the hull of  _Daedalus_ , the Caldwell brothers stared at Noctis and his friends as though they might be carrying some sort of disease. So caught up in the matter of the Obruo, they had completely forgotten about the sky captain and engineer standing there.

“There's...something on this island that we need to check out,” responded Noctis after clearing his throat.

“ _What_ ?” The Prince's brow furrowed. That question had not come from the person he expected. Looking back over, he saw the confused look on Prompto' face. “You want to go  _to_ the things that can probably destroy all of us in one hit?!” The blond waved vaguely in the direction Noctis and Niveus had been starting.

“What else should we do while waiting?”

“Rest?”

“That can wait. If there's a chance it's connected to what we're doing out here, then we should check it out,” Noctis answered back firmly. “Not to mention we might be able to find out why  _he's_ interested in them.”

After a moment, Prompto finally made a silent “oh” as what Noctis was hinting at hit him. Nodding a few times, Prompto chewed on his bottom lip and backed off. Though he now agreed with Noctis, the blond still did not seem happy with the prospect. The dark-haired Prince could hardly blame his friend. Had he not believed that they needed to check on this matter, he would not want to go towards the Obruo either.

“So...does this have something to deal with why you guys are headed to Zenn'thus?” asked Cid, bringing Noctis' attention back to the brothers. Thankful that that was all the sky captain had asked, the Prince nodded firmly. Sighing, Cid threw up his hands. “All right, that's all I need to know. You guys can deal with this however you want while we repair  _Daedalus_ . Just don't go bringing your mess back to us. I like to keep the number of problems I get involved in per month to a minimum.”

“And don't go taking too long,” added Valan as he hurried back to the ramp. “We'd like to get back on our way once repairs are done.”

“We'll keep that in mind,” nodded Gladiolus.

Cid gave a lazy salute at the group of friends before he also slipped back onto the airship. The ramp remained opened, giving them easy access for whenever it was they returned.

“So, off to find the machine that makes you two scared out of your pants?” The smugness in Prompto' voice had not been hard to miss.

Noctis groaned before he headed off in the direction he suspected the Obruo to be. “It doesn't make  _us_ scared, but rather it makes the Crystal scared.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Details, details. You still wind up frightened.” From the front of the group, Noctis rolled his eyes. Not wanting to talk on the matter further, he did not respond.

Light from the moon got weaker and weaker the deeper they got into the small forest. Weaving his way through the trees, Noctis pressed onward. Not being able to see so clearly in the darkness, he ended up stumbling a few times over roots and rocks. With a quick question to his friend, Ignis complied in creating a small ball of flame to help light their way, making things start to go much faster.

Glancing over his shoulder, the Prince saw the shard that hung around Niveus' neck begin to pulsate lightly. He took that as a good sign for it meant they were getting closer to what caused this ancient fear to stir.

“Do we have to go inside that thing?” groaned Prompto. They had stopped before a face of a small cliff and stared into the dark cave before them. Water could be heard dripping inside as the noise of each droplet echoed out. The light cast by the magical flames did not illuminate very much of the inside of the cave from where they stood.

“If we want to get to the bottom of this, we do.” Sighing lightly, Noctis glanced over his shoulder to the white-haired woman. Her necklace had a constant glow to it now, becoming brighter for a moment before returning to normal at a steady pace. It was like a heartbeat. Thanks to that, and the small signs of fear Niveus was beginning to show, he was certain they were on the right track. Now he felt a little bad at having her come in and face the fears of the Crystal when it affected her the most. But, none of them were forcing her to do this, nor had she voiced any desire not to go.

“I've got a bad feeling about this...”

“Yeah, we've all got that bad feeling, Prompto,” sighed their scarred friend. “It's what happens when you know there's a big—scratch that— _huge_ machine of death waiting for you at the end.”

“Since we don't know how long this will take us, or how long it will take the Caldwell brothers to repair  _Daedalus_ , may I suggest we get started?” Off to the side, Ignis coughed lightly as he pushed his glasses up after they had slid down the bridge of his nose.

“Let's,” agreed Noctis before he started into the cave.

“If you get scared Prompto...you're not allowed to hold my hand,” said Gladiolus cheekily.

“I'm not the one getting scared!” snapped back the blond. His response caused their scarred friend to bark out a laugh. That was the last any of them were able to joke at this time.

Darkness pressed in on them, as though it was trying to snuff out the flame. The deeper they got into the cave, the closer they ended up walking together. It was unintentional, but still happened. Though nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary for the cave, Noctis began to grow leery of the place. Were they really on the right track? With how small the cave was becoming, how could an Obruo possibly fit in here?

“Well...this sucks.” Prompto let out a loud huff and crossed his arms. “ _Now_ where are we meant to go?”

Before them was the back of the cave. A solid wall of rock kept them from going anywhere else but back. Staring up at it in disbelief, Noctis walked forward and placed his hand on the cool rock. Was this really the end of their search?

“This can't be right...” uttered Noctis, not wanting to believe they had come here for nothing. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the bright glow coming from the Crystal Shard. It could not have led them astray, could it? They had to be following the right path.

“Well, unless you wanna wait for the water to erode that wall and create a path for us, I don't see anything else for us to do at this dead end.”

“Just, show a little patience, will you?” sighed the Prince back. There had to be something,  _anything_ , here. Eager to find an answer, Noctis continued searching across the wall of rock before them. They had to be missing something. But what?

“Noct, take a look around. There's nothing else here! Just some water and cave mold. Now, I'm not saying you and Niveus were wrong.” Prompto held up his hands in defence. “But even if there is an Obruo here, who says we'd be able to still  _get_ to...it...” A sudden rumbling caused the blond to trail off.

Pulling back from the stone wall, Noctis gaped up at it. What they had thought to be solid stone proved not to be the case. After some searching, the Prince had found what, he now assumed, was a hidden switch. Old, and  hidden very well, he had no idea it had been one until his hand grazed over it and the back of the cave began to move. The back of the cave was not the back, but rather a disguised door that receded into the side of the cave.

“Well,” coughed Prompto while he scratched the back of his head. The end of their search was no longer the end. “I take back what I was saying.”

“Let's just continue searching.” Noctis raised a hand and motioned them to continue onward.

There was not much difference between the part of the cave they had been in and what lay beyond the hidden wall. At least, for a time it was the same. The light cast by the magical flame began to glint off their surroundings in a way that rock was incapable of producing. Rusted metal began to protrude from the rocks. Most seemed like old pipes, with some wiring mixed in. Following them  with his gaze, Noctis felt his head craning back as they travelled up the wall and back into the rocks. The further they went, the more abundant this change became.

Coming to a stop, Noctis stared up at what, at first glance, seemed like another dead end. Before them, the cave came to a sudden end once more. Only, unlike before where it was a wall of rock, now there was an old metal grate before them.

Intrigued by this change, Noctis walked up and peered down the other side of the grate. It was only once the others came closer as well, and the light from the ball of flame neared as well, could he see what was exactly there. Large wires dangled down into the endless shaft, soon disappearing into the darkness. With how the sides were, and what was built into them, Noctis surmised it to be only one thing: an elevator.

There was a sudden creaking noise followed by the reluctant grinding of metal against metal. With the ground beneath his feet beginning to rumble, the Prince was quick to step back. The metal grate did not seem to be the safest of constructions any longer, and Noctis was in no desire to fall down the elevator shaft any time soon.

“Guess that means it still works...” muttered Ignis.

Blinking in surprise, Noctis looked over to his bespectacled friend. Now fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket, Ignis stood to the side of the metal grate where a small control pad could be seen. A button near the top of the panel was pressed in and lit up, making the Prince assume his friend had been the one to activate it.

“Are we  _really_ gonna be going down there?” groaned out Prompto.

“We've come this far,” huffed their scarred friend. Crossing his arms, he began to tap his foot while waiting. “Might as well see what's down there.”

“We  _know_ what's gonna be down there: an Obruo! But I'm more worried about this elevator, actually. What if we end up plummeting to our deaths 'cause something goes wrong with this old thing? Noct here still isn't exactly able to use his powers at a moment's notice, in case you haven't noticed—uh, no offence there, Noct.” Their blond friend let out a nervous laugh once he saw the Prince's unamused expression.

Sighing, Noctis crossed his arms and stared at the grate. The noise of the moving elevator grew louder and louder. He crinkled up his nose slightly as a rather musty and old smell rose with it. Whatever this facility was, it was no longer in pristine order. A whoosh of air was forced out into the rest of the cave when the elevator suddenly stopped at their level. The grate, grudgingly, slid open, allowing access to the old elevator.

“Stay here if you want then,” smirked Noctis as he headed over to board the elevator. Though he tried to act smug in front of his friends, the Prince still tentatively stepped onto the elevator. It creaked at the addition of his weight, and  he could not help but wonder if this really was such a good idea. “You can even go running back to wait with Cid and his brother if you want.”

Noctis saw Prompto bristle at his remark. Giving a rather loud  _hrmph_ , the blond man leaned his head back proudly and was the next to board the elevator. “You guys would be begging for my help in the end if I didn't come.”

Though Noctis only widened his smirk at his friend's remark, he was silently thankful that Prompto was coming along. If things were to take a turn for the worse down there, he knew he would want all of them there for assistance.

More creaking filled the air as Ignis, Gladiolus and Niveus all climbed onto the elevator. Once they were all settled, Ignis found the controls inside of the machine, pressed a few buttons with a look of uncertainty across his face, and they all felt the elevator give a sudden lurch. Reaching out, Noctis grabbed onto the railing tightly, and was quickly wishing there was another way to reach wherever it was this led to.

The elevator was not a very safe one. Only a simple railing that was built around the sides was all that kept them from falling off too easily if something happened. Noctis swallowed nervously when the railing he had a hold of moved slightly. Maintenance had not been done on this elevator in who-kn ew-how-long, after all...

“Man, how far down are we going?” asked Prompto. The blond brought his hand up to his nose. Even Noctis found himself opening and closing his jaw to relieve the pressure that was building up in his ears. They were certainly travelling quite a fair distance at a rather fast speed. Glancing around, the Prince saw his other friends also trying to adjust to the change in pressure as well. All save one. Niveus seemed uncertain on how to proceed.

“How do you...stop the pain?” she questioned. The pale woman had her hands clamped over her ears, her face slightly contorted in pain. While they all knew how to deal with the change in pressure, she did not.

“Niv.” Snapping his fingers, Prompto got Niveus' attention. She looked up to him expectantly. “Clamp your nose shut...and just blow.” Raising his hand, the blond demonstrated to her what he had just explained. After glancing between him and her own hand, she tentatively tried to imitate what Prompto had shown her. Closing her eyes, she was silent for a moment before...

“Agh!” Crying out, she quickly clamped her hands back over her ears. For the briefest of moments, Noctis felt himself almost go to her side to make sure she was okay. Pursing his lips together, he was silently thankful that he had not moved when he noticed his friends had gone to see how she now fared.

“Niv, you okay?”

After a moment, she straightened. Opening and closing her jaw, much like Noctis had been doing moments before, she became accustomed to the change. “Everything's...fine now,” she responded. Turning to Prompto, she nodded in thanks to him. They were now all able to deal with the elevator lowering deeper and deeper beneath the earth.

Noctis began to wonder just how far they would be going when suddenly their surroundings changed. The light from the flames that had been glinting back to them off of the sides of the elevator shaft suddenly stopped being reflected. Brow furrowing, the Prince turned to where the walls had once been, and was met by...nothing.

Letting out an odd noise in confusion, Noctis continued to stare, trying to pick out the outline of anything in the darkness. All he could see were the columns that continued to support the elevator. Beyond that, the light cast by the magical flame faded off into nothing. There was nothing close enough to them for the light to be able to reach. Noctis felt a sinking feeling in his gut. The fear from the Crystal had increased as their surroundings changed, but it still was not as bad as it had been before. Still, he worried. Where would the Obruo be waiting for them in this vast space?

The elevator jerked to a stop. Stumbling for a moment, Noctis was quick to scramble off the machine before anything bad could happen. As soon as his footing came down on the ground, he nearly fell down. The floor beneath them had not been as level as he had expected. While the others disembarked the elevator, the Prince looked down to the odd ground, and became even more confused.

Pipes of various sizes ran across the ground. Rather, it was as though they  _were_ the ground. Every inch he could see around them was covered. There was no sign of visible ground anywhere. Everything was covered by pipes and wires. The faint hint of what looked like mist rolled over top, adding to the ominous feeling Noctis had scratching at the back of his mind.

“Hey, Ignis, mind lighting up this place so we can actually see what's  _here_ ?” came Prompto. Noctis looked over to see his blond friend tapping his foot against their odd flooring as though to test the material. He seemed a bit more worried about their surroundings than even the Prince was.

“Yeah, just hold on a sec,” sighed the bespectacled man. There was a moment of silence where nothing seemed to be happening when suddenly the flame he had created grew brighter. It seemed like no matter how bright it got, the darkness still dominated the area. Noctis began to wonder if any amount of light from the single flame would be enough to illuminate their surroundings. It was then that what was out there became visible, and they were all stunned.

“Uhm...are all those what I  _think_ they are?” gulped Prompto.

“Just how many  _are_ there?”

“Judging by the size of this place, there could be a great many.”

“No wonder you guys are scared.”

“Obruo...” whispered Noctis, staring up at the illuminated machines. Rows of the creations hung down from the high ceiling. The tubing and wires that ran along the floors fed up into them. It became clear to the Prince just what this place was: a factory. This was where whatever civilization that had created the Obruo made them. Their  exact purpose was still unknown to him.

“Man, how come you guys aren't freaking out like crazy? I'm not connected to the Crystal and even I'm creeped out by the sight of these!” Holding his arms, Prompto shuddered.

What he said was true enough. Noctis glanced in the direction of Niveus. Compared to the previous time they had encountered the Obruo, she seemed relatively calm. Granted, the Crystal that hung around her neck still glowed brighter than normal, and her eyes betrayed just how nervous she truly was, but there was not the same fear he had seen in them the last time they saw the Obruo. Considering just how many there were—and that was just the amount they could see around them—he could understand his blond friend's confusion.

“They're dormant...” muttered the Prince, recalling what Niveus had said earlier. “They must not be active.”

“Let's keep it that way!” barked out Gladiolus.

“Okay! Rule number one!” Making sure everyone's attention was on him, Prompto raised a single finger.   
“No one is allowed to activate any of these Obruo!”

“Speak for yourself.”

Prompto shot a light glare to his scarred friend. “Yes. Well, to make sure they're not activated, how 'bout we head back to the ship? We've seen the Obruo are here, our job's done!”  
“Not yet.”

“What?”

Noctis sighed lightly. “Who knows when we'll be in a situation like this again—”

“I hope we're  _never_ in a situation like this again.”

“—So it's best to find as much information about these things as possible.”

Groaning, Prompto ran a hand through his blond locks. “Have you ever heard the saying 'leave well enough alone'?”

“We should at least try to find out why Creon wants the Obruo.” Arching an eyebrow, Ignis pushed his glasses back up. The light from the flame reflected off of them, completely masking his eyes and giving him a rather imposing look. “Who made them, and what was their purpose. A facility like this should hold at least some of those answers, if not more.”

“What are we still standing around here arguing for?” asked Gladiolus, his face scrunching up in confusion. “Let's just go!”

“Yeah, well, Niv, make sure you let us know the second any of these guys wake up.” Prompto's gaze darted back up to the machines that were suspended in the air as they began to head into the compound.

“Of course.”

Despite the fact that the machines were dormant, Noctis still felt himself drawing forth his sword. If their situation were to go bad, he had a feeling it would go bad very quickly, and leave little to no time for them to get ready. A mostly-destroyed Obruo had been hard enough to battle against. Noctis was in no hurry to find out just how strong they were at full-power.

The farther they got into the compound, they were continually met by more of the same sight. Obruo still surrounded them, and the floor was still completely covered by pipes and wires. Only one thing was slightly different, and that was there were partial Obruo now, rather than all completed ones. Arms... Legs... Torsos... Every section of the Obruo w as there in some form or another. Noctis was unsure which he found more unsettling: the completed Obruo, or the separate parts. He new the completed ones would be the source of threat if something were to happen, but the incomplete parts caused him to feel like they were in a slaughter house rather than a factory thanks to the slightly-organic look to the machines.

“Whoa...” Prompto came to a halt as they stared at what now lay before them. “Think we'll find some information there?”

Raised up on a platform was what seemed like the control center for the entire facility. All the tubes and wires that ran along the ground funnelled up to it before they continued along. What Noctis assumed to be computers were also present, their monitors still displaying a stream of information after all these years. Many more wires hung down from the ceiling and were attached to the computers, giving Noctis the impression that this structure could control everything in here.

“Only one way to be certain,” sighed Ignis.

“Let's just hold off on  pushing random buttons this time, shall we?”

Becoming more cautious, Noctis was first to head up to all the computers. To make sure there was room for all the tubes and wires, the entire device was raised up rather high, a fairly long set of steps granting them access to it. Nearing one of the closer monitors, the Prince watched the information that continued to flicker across the screen. Whatever language it was in, it was unrecognizable to the Prince. His brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to make some sense of the information. Just what kind of people had...

“Life forms detected.”

“ _What the_ ?!” blurted out Prompto while the others jumped from being startled. Eyes darting around, Noctis tried to find the source of the voice. It had sounded artificial and somewhat hollow. Despite it sounding near to them, the Prince could not find where it had originated.

“Query: Are you the Masters?”

A hint of movement caught Noctis' attention. Located at the center of everything there, amidst the wires and smaller tubes that hung down from the high ceiling, a head rose, and a pair of eyes opened. The Prince swallowed nervously and took a cautious step back.

Where colour should have been in the eye was nothing but a transparent layer. Behind them, Noctis could see the hint of wiring and circuits that allowed this robot to function. The Prince was still surprised that it was a robot. It looked so...human.

Pulling away from the wiring, the robot that looked like a woman walked towards them, her gaze not once breaking off of them. Once she became illuminated by the light of the flame, Noctis could see just how artificial her skin was as well. She may have had the appearance of a human given to her, but there were still many things that made it easy to tell what she truly was: an android.

“What... _are_ you?” questioned Noctis' blond friend. Leaning forward, Prompto squinted his eyes at the android and studied her.

“Invalid response. Scanning life forms for verification.” Her transparent eyes glazed over and took on a pale-blue hue.

“ _Scanning_ ?” repeated Prompto, moving his hands in attempts to cover as much of his body as possible.

“Just be glad it's scanning and not  _probing_ ,” laughed out their scarred friend nervously.

“Aw, man! Gladiolus! Don't even go there!”

Noctis was about to bury his face in his hand when he saw that the android's eyes changed from being transparent to an electric red. That was not a change that comforted the Prince. Red was rarely ever a good sign.

“Threat present. Enemy life form confirmed. Defence protocol activated.”

“Crap...” Prompto fumbled for his shotgun. “That can't be good!”

Before them, the android's form changed slightly. A device that hung around her neck glowed a red that matched her eyes. Raising her hands, they changed as well. What had once been normal appendages morphed into two scythe-like weapons. Without hesitation, she charged for their group. More specifically, she charged for Niveus.

Noctis cursed under his breath. The android was unbelievably fast. Though his weapon had already been drawn, he had not been able to move swiftly enough to engage the android. If it had gone that badly for him, it was even worse for his friends who were already a step behind.

Once the android had moved for Niveus, the pale woman began to act. Though she had proven to be rather agile over the past couple months, the machine was much faster. Appearing to act on instinct, Niveus quickly spun around. While she would not have been fast enough to draw her weapon, it was still able to provide some defence. A cry of pain escaped her as one of the scythe-like weapons sliced along her back. Thanks to the small amount of defence her spear had given her, the wound was not nearly as bad as it could have been.

Trying to adjust to the pace of the battle, Noctis and his friends began their  fight. Like usual, Prompto was the first to attack. Taking careful aim, he fired at the android. A curse escaped him when the machine raised one of her weapons and deflected the bullet. The blond cringed slightly when he heard Gladiolus let out a yell in surprise. The bullet had been deflected in the direction of their scarred friend, who had barely managed to dodge it.

While he pushed the quick argument between his friends from his mind, Noctis rushed for the android. He was not at all surprised when she jumped back to a safe distance, in fact, it was what he had been counting on. The second she was away from them, flames erupted around her. The favoured spell of Ignis burned brightly until he dismissed the magic.

Now slightly singed, the android rushed back to them. Noctis was slightly surprised when her focus still remained on Niveus. Was the white-haired woman the only threat the android saw? Was it... Noctis figured it out. The Crystal... If this android was related or connected to the Obruo in some way, then it was safe to assume that the Crystal was an enemy to her as well.

Cursing under his breath, Noctis quickly glanced around. None of the Obruo seemed to have been activated, at least. While an annoying foe, he would much rather deal with this android they fought than one, or more, of the Obruo. He could only hope that it stayed this way.

Acting quickly, he threw out his sword in hopes that... It worked! He was somewhat surprised by how little thought had been required this time to use his old abilities. Caught off-guard by the floating weapon, the android tried to bat it aside, but Noctis' sword moved  as if on its own accord. While the machine was distracted, Niveus was the one to take that moment to attack.

Spear in hand, she sent her attack out while the android continued to focus on Noctis' sword. Just before her spear would have hit the sword, Noctis held out his hand and summoned it back. Lights swirled around his hands, along with the familiar glint of small shards of crystal. It was reassuring to see them again.

Caught off-guard by the disappearance of what she was fighting, the android was unable to adjust to the situation quickly enough. Her weapons barely raised, she was unable to block the spear that pierced straight through the device that hung from her neck. Cracked, the light from inside it flickered for a moment before it died completely. Red eyes faded back to their original transparency and the android's head fell back down, her weapons morphing back into normal hands.

“Did...we get it?” asked Prompto, keeping his shotgun raised to fire if needed. Slowly, Niveus withdrew her spear from the android, and used it to help support her weight. Gladiolus was the first one to move to her side and aid in the healing of her wound.

“Good thing she didn't wake her friends,” sighed Noctis, taking one more glance around to judge the state of the Obruo. All they could see were still dormant, and the level of fear he felt from the Crystal had not risen at all.

It was then that Prompto cried out in surprise, causing the others to become startled as well. “She's  _alive_ ?!”

Their attention fell back onto the android. The broken device around her neck fell uselessly to the ground with a light  _thud_ . Raising her head, Noctis watched as her eyes flickered between multiple colours before returning to the transparent look they had been initially.

“Defence override damaged. Returning to normal protocols.” Transparent eyes glanced over the five of them. “Awaiting further input.”

Baffled, Prompto walked forward and stared at the android. Raising a hand, he waved it in front of the machine. No matter what he tried, or how long he waited, she did not react to him at all.

“Are you gonna start attacking us again?” he questioned, keeping his shotgun ready if needed.

“Negative. My original programming does not allow me to attack unless in self-defence or upon orders. Do you wish me to attack you?”

“NO! No, no, no.” Prompto was quick to wave his hands in denial. Noctis let out a quiet sigh. Though the android claimed she would no longer attack them, the Prince still kept his sword drawn. Glancing to his friends, he could tell they were as cautious about the matter as he was. “Just what  _are_ you?” questioned the blond again.

There was a slight delay, as though her mind was retrieving the necessary information. “I am of the A-906 series. My unit ID is Vacua. I am the caretaker of this facility until the Masters return.”

“Has anyone else been here?” asked Noctis, taking a step forward. If Creon knew of this place, and had been here, it would not be pleasant news.

“Please provide a more specific time  frame.”

The Prince wanted to smack his palm against his forehead. The way this Vacua was acting reminded him of... He bit his bottom lip and quickly felt ashamed of his thoughts. The android Vacua was reminding him of Niveus. It was only a slight similarity, but enough that Noctis felt ashamed once again that he had not treated the pale woman as another human being until now.

“In...” Noctis paused. Just how long had Creon been working on the plan of his? It may have been only two months since he attacked their Crystal, but it was likely the man had been scheming this for a good amount of time before that. Quickly, he thought up of a number that he hoped was reasonable. “...the past fifty years?” Judging by the reactions he got from his friends, it was clear that they found that number to be rather unreasonable.

“Negative. No life forms have been present in that time frame.”

Prompto let out an odd noise in surprise. “When was the last time someone else was here then?!”

“One-million-six-hundred-fifteen-thousand-eight-hundred-fifty-five days ago.”

There was a pause.

“What?”

“How many  _years_ ago was that?” asked Ignis while Prompto scratched his head in confusion. Even Noctis found his head hurting slightly at the thought of calculating all those days.

“Four-thousand-four-hundred-twenty-seven.”

“But that...” breathed out Noctis, realizing just how long ago it was.

“Is before the Crystal Age is recorded to have begun,” finished Ignis. The bespectacled man cupped his chin in his hand. Brow knotting together, he seemed rather deep in thought—more so than usual. “That era only dates back to just over two-thousand years ago.”

“At least Creon  _definitely_ hasn't been here,” laughed Gladiolus wryly.

“How long have  _you_ been here then?” Finished with scratching his head, the blond slung his shotgun over his shoulder.

“Two-million-one-hundred—”

“Ah!” Prompto raised a hand to cut her off before Vacua could continue. “In years.”

The android dipped her head slightly. “Five-thousand-seven-hundred-sixty-two years and one-hundred-forty-eight days. Since the completion of my construction, I have been caretaker here.”

“What is the purpose of this place?” asked Noctis while Prompto seemed to get another headache from the large number, and Ignis was trying to make sense of this new addition to the timeline he knew.

“To construct Obruo.”

The Prince sighed. The concept of expanding on answers never seemed to have been added to Vacua's programming. “What were the Obruo built for?”

“To fight against the False Gods and their armies.”

Confusion was simply piling on all of them right now. “False Gods?” pondered Gladiolus. “Who the he ll are the False Gods?”

For the first time since meeting her, Vacua blinked. It was slow and unnatural. “Error. Insufficient data. My knowledge only pertains to this facility.”

“Who do the Obruo fight for?” questioned Noctis. Perhaps if they knew that, they would be able to figure out just who these False Gods were.

“This facility and the construction of the Obruo were built to serve the true Goddess, Etro.”

Noctis felt as though his stomach had fallen out of his abdomen. Had he heard correctly? Were his ears playing tricks on him?

Etro.

That was what she had said.

The Goddess Etro. It could not possibly be the same Etro that they knew, could it? Then again...the Crystal knew of the threat caused by the Obruo, despite them having been created before the Crystal Age.  It was likely that Etro's roots ran much deeper than any of them suspected.

“Etro...” breathed out Prompto. “You mean the Goddess of the Underworld Etro?”

“Affirmative. Full title: Goddess of the Underworld.”

“Of course...” whispered Noctis. The Prince ran a hand through his hair and licked his lips apprehensively. He recalled what it was Ignis told him that Niveus had called them. “Weapons of the light...” A bitter taste rose in his mouth as he suddenly looked over to Niveus. Her expression almost seemed to mirror Vacua's with how neutral it was. “You meant  _The_ Light!”

Blinking, Niveus tilted her head slightly in Noctis' direction. “I did?”

The dark-haired Prince gripped his blue locks in frustration. The Light. Etro. What did they have to do with this? Along with the Crystal, the Goddess Etro was the one other entity his people believed in. Not only his people, but  _everyone_ did. From those on Domumna to those on Zenn'thus, their entire world, knew of Etro. She was the Goddess of the Underworld, the place which all dead souls travelled to. And the Light... Noctis let out a heavy huff. He did not have fond memories when it came to dealing with the Light...

While some may have believed it to be legend, he knew the matters dealing with the Light and Etro to be true. There was a power behind them that he was unable to deny. Still...that did not mean he had to like it.

Prompto was the first of them to find his voice again. “Why the heck did Etro need an  _army_ ?”

“To fight against the False Gods.”

“Do you know  _anything_ else about this?”

“Negative. My databanks do not hold any more information on the Goddess Etro.”

“Let's go.” Noctis pursed his lips together and slung his sword over his back. “We're not going to get any more information here.” What information they had acquired left him in a foul mood. Did Creon know that the Obruo were connected to the Goddess? Was that why he wanted them—because they were the enemy of the Crystal? And these False Gods that Vacua mentioned...were they connected to the Crystals, or were they something completely different? Question after question gnawed at Noctis' mind, not giving him a moment's rest. If he had found it hard to fall asleep earlier tonight, it was going to be near-impossible to fall to slumber now.

“What? But—but—”

“What are you complaining about, Prompto?” Noctis arched an eyebrow in the direction of his blond friend. “You're the one that wanted to get out of here quickly.”

“Yeah, but...” Prompto's eyes fell back onto Vacua. The android continued to stand motionless. “It doesn't feel right just leaving her here...”

“She's a machine, not human,” reminded Ignis, pushing his glasses back up. “Not to mention on the side of the Obruo, which, in case you've forgotten, seem to be an enemy of the Crystal.”

“It wouldn't hurt to have someone else who can fight on our side...” commented Gladiolus. The scarred man stroked his scruffy jaw pensively.

Noctis sighed and shook his head. Having Vacua travel with them would certainly attract a fair amount of unwanted attention. Not only did her eyes stand out, but so did her artificial skin that had a slight metallic glint to it. There were no androids as advance d as her in their current time. Then again...Gladiolus was right about it being handy to have someone who could fight for them along. That and she may hold some other useful information...

“You can ask her,” huffed Noctis, not turning back around.

“I knew you'd give in.” Prompto gave a small smirk in victory. “Hey, Vacua, want to come with us?” The blond tossed his head back in the direction of the elevator.

“Come with you?”

“Yeah! Get out of this place! Travel with us. See the world...”

“Unable to comply.”

“What? Why?”

“My duty lies here. I am the caretaker of this facility. As such, my programming does not allow me to leave until the Masters have returned.”

Noctis felt somewhat bad when he heard that. He had the feeling she would be waiting for a very long time then...

“Well, it was worth a shot...” sighed Prompto. “So...” The blond tapped his shotgun on his shoulder a couple times. A familiar grin returned to his face as he pushed aside the matter. “Shall we get going?”

Sighing, the Prince rolled his eyes momentarily. “Let's.”

Glad to now be done with the place, Noctis and his friends headed back down and retraced their steps to the elevator. Vacua remained where she stood, her programming not allowing her to leave this ancient facility. The android was left behind as they exited, along with any other secrets the place might have held.

Noctis remained silent on their way out. The Light... The Goddess Etro...

The new information was starting to give him a headache.

If it was truly connected to their Crystal in some way, just what would be waiting for them when they found where they all met?


	11. Zenn'thus

The dirt was soft, and almost comforting, beneath his heavy boots. Noctis was mildly surprised by his own reaction. Ground had never been comforting to him before, why should now be any different? The land of Zenn'thus, was it really so different from that of Domumna? In a way, it felt... _safer_. Perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Zenn'thus was not caught in the middle of a cold war, unlike his home. Just that knowledge alone might have been enough for the Prince to feel as though the foreign land was better in some small way.

Stepping to the side to allow his other companions to be able to disembark from _Daedalus_ , Noctis took a deep breath of the air. Much like the past couple days, a strong scent of the sea overpowered anything else that might have been hanging in the breeze. But, compared to Atherna, the air seemed cleaner. Such difference in the two coastal cities. Had they not had to come here under such pressing matters, the Prince was certain he might have actually been glad, and even a little excited, to have set foot on Zenn'thus for the first time.

“So did your little plan work?” asked the Prince over his shoulder as he heard multiple footsteps clatter down the ramp.

“All's good so far,” answered Cid with a yawn. The sky captain paused for a moment as he covered his mouth due to his extended yawn. Noctis arched an eyebrow in the direction of the brunet, surprised that he seemed so tired at this time. “They haven't looked twice at our ship yet or asked where we came from. But if suspicions start to rise, I should be able to handle it...given that they don't ask for papers, or anything like that...” Cid let out a nervous chuckle as he scratched his cheek.

Noctis let out a light groan. Yet again, he felt his confidence in the sky captain waver. It would not be good if they finished with their business on Zenn'thus only to have their ride back home no longer waiting for them. Granted, it was still a pretty big _if_ whether they would even succeed or not. The Prince kept from grasping at his chest and the hole he still felt inside of him. He could not lose hope. Not now.

“So what are you guys plan to do next?” asked Valan. The Prince was slightly surprised that it had been the younger brother to ask. Wiping off his dirty hands on an already dirty rag, the young engineer stared up at Noctis, waiting for an answer.

The Prince slowly felt more eyes fall onto him. Turning around, he saw his friends staring at him as well. They all wanted to know what their next course of action was, and only Noctis knew where to go from here.

“We're gonna be heading further east,” sighed Noctis, rubbing the back of his neck as he let his gaze fall in that general direction. “Beyond that...I can't really say.”

“Playing this whole business in Zenn'thus thing of yours by ear, huh?” There was a hint of amusement in Cid's voice.

A dry cough escaped Noctis. “Something like that...”

“Any idea when you guys'll be back?”

“Nope! Not a clue!” answered Prompto, almost cheerily. “Will we even return at all? Who knows!” Noctis felt himself sending an odd glance to his blond friend. This was not exactly a matter to be _happy_ about. But, it was Prompto saying it, after all. He would often make jokes about situations that usually did not warrant them. It would have been very odd for Ignis, even Gladiolus, and _especially_ Niveus, to make such remarks.

Cid chuckled lightly and fiddled with his headband. “Well, I guess we can stay here until you return. I do plan to take any small jobs I can find, though. So if we're not in hanger by the time you get back, just wait around till we return.”

“And if you were chased back to Zenn'thus?” questioned Noctis seriously.

Lips curling into a sly smirk, Cid's eyes sparkled mischievously. “Well, if that happens, I'll be sure to leave in such a way that people here will remember it so that you can find out when you return.”

Noctis felt his lips itching to be allowed pull an amused grin. He had no lack of confidence that Cid would be able to pull that off.

“Yeah, yeah, that's sweet of you.” Prompto let out a sigh as he slung his arms behind his head. “So now that that's settled, why are we still hanging around here?”

Laughter escaped Cid. “Your bud's got a point! Let's get outta here and see the rest of this city.” Taking the lead, the sky captain made his way out of the hangers, Noctis and the others only a few steps behind.

“Welcome! Enjoy your stay in Yeon!” greeted two voices the moment they stepped through the door. Noctis looked to the side in the direction one of the voices had come from. A guard stood either side of the door to the hanger, keeping a vigilant watch. The Prince was momentarily surprised that they had been the ones to greet them. Judging by their stances and expressions, he would not have suspected them to greet so...warmly. He then just passed it off as another part of their job.

“This place is so... _bright_ ,” commented Prompto. For the first time, Noctis looked up to study the coastal city. It was one thing to have seen in from the sky, but another to see it from within the city itself.

Engulfed by the light cast from the setting sun, Yeon was set aflame. Such warmth radiated off of the buildings. The natural hue of the buildings—a warm gold, thanks to what Noctis assumed was sandstone—only intensified the effect of the sunset. In the course of his life, Noctis had seen his share of sunsets, many of them breathtaking and would remain in his memory for a long time, but this one...it literally outshone all the rest.

As they passed by a clearing, Noctis looked out towards the unimpaired view of the ocean and he felt his pace slow for a brief second. For a moment, at least, he forgot about the Crystal. He forgot about the hole he still felt inside of him. He forgot about their quest to restore their shattered guardian. For a moment, he felt relaxed.

Just a moment...but it was enough for the Prince.

“Well then, is this where we are to part ways?” asked Ignis. Noctis merely arched an eyebrow at his friend's question, having brought him back to reality. The familiar sight of his bespectacled friend pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose met the Prince's neutral gaze. Sunlight glinted brightly off of the lenses, completely masking whatever real emotion Ignis might have been hiding in his eyes.

A sharp and sudden bark of a laugh made Noctis' head swivel around in surprise. Cid pushed his headband back up his forehead with his thumb. All other eyes fell to the sky captain, awaiting some sort of explanation for his outburst. “You're kidding, right?”

“Not exactly, no...”

Cid let out a light and nervous chuckle once he caught Ignis' look. The Prince had to withhold a snicker. He knew the look Ignis must be wearing well enough himself. Having been on the receiving end of it several times himself, he almost felt a shred of sympathy. Ignis was capable of being quite forceful with having to exert the smallest amounts of force on his end. It was one of the reasons that had allowed Ignis to rise so quickly in his job. And, on top of that, was one of the reasons Noctis liked having his bespectacled friend on his side.

“It's just that it's gonna get dark soon,” coughed out Cid after he cleared his throat. “Why not wait till morning to head out?”

“Time _is_ kinda important in this matter...” remarked Gladiolus, running a hand over his scruffy chin.

A gloved hand was raised to lazily wave away the matter Noctis' scarred friend brought up. “One night really gonna make such a difference?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. The question should be rather more why do _you_ seem to care?” Prompto gave Cid a rather skeptic look.

Much to Noctis' surprise, the brunet did not try to laugh off the matter. Instead, he crossed his arms and stared coolly back at the blond. “Believe it or not, sky captains actually do look out for their passengers. I may not know what the hell you're up to over here, but I don't need to know to realize that it may be a while before you're able to rest in a decent town again. One thing I've learned in my time, it's to rest well whenever you can, since who knows when you'll be thrown into a mess.”

“You have to run from the law a few times, or something?” asked Prompto, a rather obvious smug tone in his voice.

Cid returned to his composition that Noctis had already grown accustomed to in their short time travelling with him. Though the sky captain chuckled aside the matter, his shoulders and posture drooped a noticeable amount. “More times than I'd like to count...”

“And probably many more yet to come...” added Valan as he scratched his cheek absentmindedly. The younger Caldwell seemed rather unimpressed as he glanced around the coastal city. With his love for engines and machinery quite high, Noctis figured that Valan did not care so much for the aesthetic beauty Yeon held.

“You guys can have fun with that,” huffed Gladiolus, crossing his arms. “Hey, Noct, what's the plan then?”

Pursing his lips together in thought, Noctis felt gazes fall upon him once again. It was not one of his favourite things, having everyone's attention on him. With being the heir to the throne, he would have to get used to it, and in far greater quantities, no less.

With a sigh, he ran a hand quickly through his dark hair and glanced to the east. The Crystal Shards were out there, and they had to collect them as fast as possible. But still... His blue orbs shifted to look over his friends and he weighed the options in his mind as quickly as possible. This was a foreign land to all of them. There was no way to know how long it would take to travel between towns, or even how often they would be travelling _to_ towns on their search for the remaining shards. It could very well end up being a while before they would be able to rest on real beds again.

Sighing once more, Noctis slipped his hand from his hair to rubbing the back of his neck. “We'll stay the night here and set out in the morning.” One night would not alter their plans too much...he hoped.

“Well then! See you guys in a few hours! I'll be off to—”

“Not so fast.” Gladiolus put a strong hand on Prompto's shoulder before the blond could make his escape. “We're staying together while here.”

“Aw man. Why the hell do we need to do that?”

“So you don't do anything _stupid_ like spending the rest of money or making it so we're not able to _leave_ in the morning.”

Prompto shot their scarred friend a flat stare. “Speak for yourself, big guy.”

A sudden and loud clearing of the throat from Ignis stopped the two friends from bickering further. “Shall we get looking for an inn to spend the night at then?”

“Let's,” agreed Noctis before anyone could say something else.

“Well, you just better hope you guys don't end up drawing too much attention to yourselves.” Cid slung his arms behind his head comfortably as he headed off, eyes peeled out for an inn.

“Or go getting yourselves mugged while here,” added Valan quietly. Noctis bristled slightly and shot the younger brother an annoyed glare. In return, all he got was an overly-innocent smile from Valan.

“That'll be a cinch!” laughed out Prompto confidently, not having noticed the younger brother's comment.

“Really now? Might want to take a second-look at the group you're a part of.” The sky captain calmly gestured with his thumb back over his shoulder.

Noctis and his friends looked to where Cid pointed, though they all knew what they were going to see. Having not spoken a word since departing _Daedalus_ , Niveus stood quietly at the rear of the group. The white-haired woman was simply still soaking in as much of the scenery as their current location would allow. A soft sigh escaped Noctis. Leave it to her to be the one that would stand out in their group...

“Niiiiiv,” called out Prompto before any of them could do something else. Blinking, Niveus looked over to the blond as he hurried to her side. “Best to stay close to us.” Placing his hands on her shoulders, Prompto began to steer Niveus so that she would not be able to fall behind or wander off.

“It's quite different from any place we've travelled through...” she muttered quietly.

A long sigh escaped the Caldwell brothers. The elder rose his hands helplessly. “Well, we won't seem like foreigners _at all_.” Sarcasm dripped heavily from his words. Noctis was unable to disagree. He hoped that his blond friend's quick thinking would be able to keep Niveus under check while they were here.

As they headed off in search of an inn, it was Cid who ended up taking the lead. Noctis did not really end up caring too much. It was the Caldwell brothers that would have to get used to this place more so than the Prince and his friends. That, and Noctis did not exactly feel like asking random people for directions. He merely continued to look around at the city that was bathed in the fading light of the sun. It was pleasant to be able to walk through the streets and not worry about anyone recognizing him for the Prince. ...They just had to be worried about being recognized as people from Domumna.

“All right! Let's hope this place has some rooms available.” Boldly stepping forward, Cid opened the doors of the inn with such force that they were able to remain open long enough to allow the rest of them to slip in easily.

“Well...this place seems...quaint...” coughed Prompto dryly. Noctis could only let out a small grunt in confirmation at his friend's underlying message. It was not the worst of inns, but it was far from the best. “What in blazes made you chose _this_ place?”

“Price can be a very convincing argument, pal.” Cid flicked his wrist and shot the blond a flat stare. “Not having pay for a couple months can make you try and conserve costs as much as possible.”

“Can't ya just stay in your airship?”

A dry laugh escaped the sky captain as he headed for the front desk. “Trust me, it's not as amazing as it sounds. Not to mention most docks don't let you stay in your airship to sleep. Anyway! Got any rooms available?” Cid's demeanour quickly changed as his slapped his hand down onto the front desk. Nothing seemed to be able to keep the sky captain in low spirits for long.

“Of course.” The man behind the front desk nodded his head. “How many do you need?”

“Three,” answered Noctis from the side before anyone could say otherwise.

“Three now?” Cid turned to face the Prince as the desk clerk went about selecting rooms. Pursing his lips together, Cid quickly raised a hand and counted the total number of their group at the moment. “How's it being divvied up then?” A sly smirk crossed his face. “Who's the lucky one with Niveus?”

Noctis let out a momentary sigh. Surely it should be quite obvious how the rooms would be split up. “You and your brother are in one, Niveus gets her own room as usual, while the rest of share.”

“Ah, well aren't you the gentleman.”

“Your rooms. All on the second floor. The room numbers are on the keys. Enjoy your stay.”

“Thanks.” Cid was the one who retrieved the keys from the desk clerk.

“Dinner'll still be served for the next hour if you require anything.”

Raising a hand, Cid waved over his shoulder at the desk clerk to show he heard as he headed off for the main stairs, the rest following suit. Dinner was certainly sounding nice right about now. Along with not knowing when they would be sleeping in a real bed next, when they would be able to have a real meal again was also unknown. The journey they were on was certainly making Noctis appreciate the smaller things that he was able to have back home.

“At least the workers seem fairly well-mannered for this being an...inexpensive place,” remarked Ignis, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

“Not complaining!” laughed the sky captain. “Guess things are a little different over here. Well, I don't know about you guys, but we'll be grabbing a dinner downstairs,” yawned Cid as he passed a key to Noctis and the third to Niveus.

The Prince did not have to look to his friends to know they were hoping for a warm dinner tonight as well. “We were planning on that too.”

A grin tugged at the corner of Cid's mouth. “Let's hope nothing messes up our last night together, then.”

“Just don't go drinking too much and we should be fine,” muttered Valan, kicking his brother lightly in the leg. The younger brother's actions caused him to receive a quick glare from Cid before they entered their room.

Blinking, Noctis stared after the Caldwell brothers a moment. They were still capable of surprising the Prince. He was certain that if they were to spend more time together on their journey, they would still have many more surprises for all of them. With a shake of his head, Noctis continued on down the hall to where their other rooms would be.

“We'll meet downstairs for dinner. Just head down there whenever you're ready,” informed Noctis to Niveus. Without saying a word, she dipped her head to them and disappeared into her room. Though different from when they first met her, the pale woman would still rarely ever say more than was needed, and if capable, she would often say nothing at all. That, Noctis suspected, would never change. A soft wry chuckle escaped the Prince. Quickly trying to hide it, he glanced to his friends to see if they had noticed.

“So, riddle me this,” sighed Prompto as they entered what would be their room for the night. “Why aren't we having Cid fly us to all the places where you sense the Crystal Shards? Wouldn't things go a lot faster?”

Noctis quickly glanced down both sides of the hall before he closed their door to make sure no one else had been able to hear his friend's question. “That thought has crossed my mind...” muttered the Prince in return.

“Oh good. I would have thought you've suffered from brain damage if it _hadn't_.” Prompto let out a nervous chuckle once he saw the glare Noctis had directed at his friend.

“But some problems arise if we were to have him fly us everywhere.”

“And what problems are those?” asked Gladiolus once he leaned against a wall after having set his mighty axe down.

“For one, I don't want him finding out why it is we're here—finding out about the Crystal Shards.” Noctis waved loosely in the direction of Niveus' room and the shards that were in her care. “We can't forget that he and Valan aren't subjects of Lucis and don't know of our Crystal's shattering, if they even know of our Crystal at all.” Sighing, Noctis stretched slightly after resting his own sword down. Not having to carry the weight of it, even for a while, was a pleasant break. Turning back around, he looked over each of his friends. They were all waiting patiently, each in their own way, for him to continue. “While I'm sure he'd have a price for keeping quiet about it all, there's probably someone out there capable of paying even more to _get_ that information. In the end, the less they know, the better for all of us.

“That, and we have no idea what the rest of Zenn'thus is like. There may very well be places where shards are located that _Daedalus_ won't even be able reach. I know it means that this'll take longer over here, but we'll proceed on our own for now. I'm sure there'll be other forms of transportation we can get while here to help speed things up.”

“Those are reasons enough for me.” Ignis gave a firm nod in Noctis' direction. It was subtle, but the Prince felt as though he could relax a bit easier now that he knew his adviser, of sorts, had seen nothing horribly wrong with his plans. Ignis was usually the first one that Noctis would go to when he needed to discuss a plan.

“All right, all right. I'm not one to argue with the both of ya.” Prompto threw up his hands as if in defeat. By the blond's side, Gladiolus let out a snort of a laugh. Narrowing his eyes, Prompto shot their scarred friend a look that was just daring him to say what had been on his mind. Surprisingly enough, Gladiolus remained silent. “Shall we head down for dinner now? Niv's probably wondering what's taking us so long.” Without another word, the four of them headed out of their room, eager for a meal.

“Oh yeah...” started Prompto once they reached the hall. “What were you doing with Niv that night the monsters attacked _Daedalus_ anyway? You two were already awake.”

“Just...talking,” Noctis answered rather quickly. He had hoped that the events with the Obruo and the android Vacua had caused his friends to forget about that small detail...but that had not been the case. Pursing his lips together in annoyance, Noctis focused intently on the hall before them, and found himself picking up his pace a little.

“Really, now?” That cheeky tone that Prompto was easily capable of achieving returned to his voice. Noctis did not need to look at his old friend to know that the blond wore an amused smile.

“Yes, really.” Controlling his voice, Noctis kept himself from snapping the answer back. He knew that would only make matters worse. For them to be teasing him over what they believed to have happened was one thing, but to have them tease him over what had actually happened would be another. His apology to Niveus had been for her ears only. It was a matter between him and her alone, and Noctis hoped to keep it that way for as long as possible.

“Speaking of Niveus, do you think we should inform her on why we won't be using _Daedalus'_ aid while in Zenn'thus?” questioned Ignis, quickly changing the topic before Prompto could tease Noctis any more.

Noctis made a mental note to thank Ignis at some point. His question had caused their small conversation to shift. “If she asks, sure. But I don't think that's something she'd be...” Brow furrowing, the Prince tried to choose the right word. “... _Concerned_ with that matter.”

“Yeah!” barked out Gladiolus suddenly as they headed down the stairs. “She'll be her usual quiet self and not think twice about the matter.”

“Shame about that, though,” sighed Ignis softly.

“Whaddaya mean?” Prompto slung his arms behind his head casually and tilted his head in their bespectacled friend's direction.

“It means she probably still has a long way to go before fully recovering from...what has happened to her.”

“Maybe she just didn't talk or ask much before all this started...?”

“She's getting better,” Noctis found himself muttering, almost defensively. He could not allow himself to revert back to his original way of thinking of her. It would not sit well with him in the future—knowing that someone's life had been forever changed due to his inability to protect their Crystal. He had to believe that she would get better as much as he had to believe that they would restore their Crystal. “Slowly... But she has improved since we first met her.”

“Perhaps it is due to the Crystal Shards after all,” remarked Ignis softly, making sure no one else overheard them. Looking over his shoulder, Noctis nodded in agreement with his friend. Though they still had no technical proof, it did seem to make the most sense. That and they did not really have many other theories to go on, either.

“Whatever the reason, let's just be glad she's on the mend. Now, shall we eat?” asked Gladiolus heartily as he opened the doors to the small dinning hall.

Voices met their ears, but it was not the voices caused by the light chatter of people enjoying dinner conversations. Turning his head in the direction of the voices, Noctis was mildly surprised by the sight of a play being presented for entertainment. They had barely been in Zenn'thus for much more than an hour, and each sight they saw just continued on showing them how different it was from Domumna. There were three people on stage at the moment, two men and a woman. All of their costumes were rather extravagant looking, but the woman's was simply stunning.

Judging by her attire and demeanour, Noctis could only suspect that her role in the play was important—something akin to royalty. He was unable to dwell on such thoughts when a wave caught his attention. The Prince's gaze shifted from the play to the table that Cid, Valan, and Niveus had already claimed. Silently, he and his friends made their way to the table.

“How nice of you to join us so late,” smirked Cid as they sat down.

“It didn't take us _that_ long,” huffed Noctis back quietly.

“You guys made us wait. That means you're late.” Valan stuck his tongue out at Noctis, causing the dark-haired Prince to scowl in annoyance. Before they were able to continue bantering, a waiter came to take their orders for dinner. Even the food offered was fairly different from what they could find back home.

“So what is the play about?” enquired Ignis once their orders were taken.

“Sadly we seemed to have missed most of it, but I'm pretty sure it's about Etro and her bestowing The Light to some old hero.”

“Who is Etro?” Though they had been talking quietly, so that the play would not be interrupted, the silence at their table that followed Niveus' question was almost deafening. Noctis wanted to smack his forehead right then. They really should have taken a moment after the matter with Vacua to explain who Etro was to Niveus. But, since she had not asked about it, the matter had slipped from their minds.

“Man, just what kind of a sheltered life did you _live_ anyway?” Cid arched an eyebrow in Niveus' direction. “ _Everyone_ knows Etro.” Tilting her head, the pale woman remained silent. If she had known of the Goddess, those memories, along with everything else, were still gone. “You _really_ don't know about her?”

“I've only heard of her...in passing,” answered Niveus. Her gaze settled back on the play that was being performed. Etro's character had left, and now the two men held the stage. “Just who is she?”

“Well, for one, she's the Goddess of the Underworld,” began Cid.

Sinking down in his chair slightly, Noctis managed to ignore the rest of Cid's explanation. He knew all he wanted to know about Etro. Goddess of the Underworld. Bestower of The Light. She was the one entity that everyone, all over the world, believed in, as far as he knew. Seeing a play about her in Zenn'thus only strengthened that thought. Even back home, his people believed in her alongside their Crystal.

It was not so much Etro herself that was causing the foul mood to befall Noctis, but rather how intertwined she was with The Light—the power one could receive from the Underworld itself. And now, with the new information they had obtained from Vacua that the Obruo were weapons to fight in the name of Etro, questions began to race through his mind. Just what had happened in the past between the two forces? What had caused the Crystal to be afraid of the power given by Etro?

Mulling over his thoughts, Noctis ate his dinner without saying another word. As much as he did not enjoy dealing with Etro or The Light, he was beginning to hope they would find answers. They had to be out there somewhere, hidden behind the tangled threads of forgotten history. Whether they would find those answers on their journey or not was another question entirely.

 

* * *

 

Their normal schedule returned with the morning. As the sun was breaking over the horizon, Noctis and his friends slipped out of Yeon without drawing any unnecessary attention to themselves. They had not even crossed paths with Cid and Valan on their way out. Farewells had been said after dinner, and so none of them felt compelled to speak to the brothers in the morning. Reunion would only come after their business in Zenn'thus was complete.

“Yo, Noct, sure we're going the right way?” asked Prompto as they trekked through a forest on their third day outside of Yeon. It was a much denser forest than they were used to. Foreign trees were skinny and tall, their bright-green foliage permitting enough light to pass through that allowed the forest floor to be overrun by other plants. If they had not been pressed with time for finding the remaining shards, Noctis believed he would have actually liked the forest. Unlike previous ones they had travelled through, it was not threatening or mysterious at all.

“The shard I'm sensing is east. We're going east,” huffed out the Prince as he pushed a low-hanging branch to the side.

“Dammit!” yelled out a deep voice from behind. Flinching, Noctis tentatively turned around. He had not expected Gladiolus to be so close behind him. The tree branch that the Prince had moved aside had whipped back and smacked his scarred friend right in the face. “Watch it next time.” Gladiolus let out a long sigh and continued to rub his face.

Wincing, partially from imagining the pain that he had caused his friend, and in part to hide what embarrassment he was really feeling, Noctis muttered, “Sorry...” It was not the first time he had accidentally caused pain to one of his friends, and he knew it would not be the last.

“See, this is something I did not miss while we were back in Domumna.” Prompto let out a long sigh and tapped his shotgun over his shoulder.

“The random accidents?” questioned Ignis, arching an eyebrow.

Noctis chewed on his bottom lip as they continued. He knew that was his bespectacled friend's way of teasing him. At some point, he would have to get them back for this. How, he was not sure, but he would...at some point.

“Nah, not that.” Prompto waved off Ignis' remark. “I didn't miss going to the various places on _foot_ through unknown terrain where _fiends_ could attack us at any point. We don't even know what lovely new fangs, claws, poisons, or other such threats, could be hiding out here! Why couldn't we stick to a main road or something?”

“Yeah, why couldn't we have done that?” grunted out Gladiolus, rubbing his face still to over-play the pain.

“It is faster this way.” Noctis stopped. From the sound made by his friends, he could tell they had as well. A single pair of feet continued on for a couple more steps before they, too, ceased. Turning around, Noctis stared at Niveus. Most likely confused by why they had stopped, she tilted her head slightly like she often did when something did not make sense to her. “A more direct path is faster...right?” Shifting her weight, it was clear she was becoming uncomfortable by having all four of them look at her.

“It is.” Noctis nodded lightly at her. It was the main reason he had decided to head that way rather than take a road where they could end up meandering around for a lot longer than he wanted.

“We just didn't expect _you_ to be the one to say that!” added Prompto kindheartedly.

“Oh...” Nivues dipped her head as if in a way of apology.

A sudden laugh escaped Prompto as he hurried to her side. Without warning, though the action itself did not really end up surprising Noctis or the others, the blond slung an arm around Niveus' shoulders. Having not expected it, the pale woman staggered a bit. “She looked so adorable just then! That's it, once we're all done with this, she's staying with us!”

Noctis shot Prompto a stern look, though his blond friend ended up completely missing it. That whole matter was not something he wanted to deal with right now. Despite being Prince, he knew his influence would not mean much in the end. Not to mention, he did not know how or when they would have to discuss the matter with Niveus. That was what he really wanted to avoid for now.

“C'mon, Prompto, leave Niveus alone,” sighed Gladiolus, motioning Prompto back to the side.

“Why?” Smiling, Prompto feigned innocence in his voice.

“'Cause you're bugging her.”

“No I'm not! I'm not, am I?

“Uhm...” started Niveus, at a complete loss for what to do in a situation like this.

“See? I'm not!”

“I said get off!” One of Gladiolus' large arms pulled Prompto into a familiar headlock. The blond ended up hobbling along as their scarred friend pulled him away from Niveus. “See? I'm not bugging you, am I?” he asked cheekily. Whatever Prompto's response was, it was muffled by an arm and hand. Noctis was sure there had been some pretty colourful language directed at Gladiolus in it. Nothing they had not already heard before between the two, though.

“C'mon, let's get going,” chuckled Noctis once he finished laughing at his friends. No matter how much he might get teased, he was able to find solace in the fact that, between the four of them, they pretty much all got equal amounts. It was all fair game.

Their spirits now lighter, they continued on. Much of whatever was said between them now was comparing Domumna to what they had seen of Zenn'thus. But what they had seen was only the tip of the iceberg. There was still much of this land that was still a mystery.

“What the...” started Noctis, pausing in his step.

“Huh? Should we rest here for a bit?” asked Prompto, coming to his side. “Looks nice enough.” Shotgun in hand, he gestured at the clearing that lay before them. Tall grass rippled like waves as a breeze passed through.

“No...” Noctis' brow furrowed.

“Ah, think fiends like it here too?”

“Something's...not right.”

“What's the matter?” asked Ignis, moving up from behind.

“I'm not sure...” The longer they were by the clearing's side, the worse a feeling in Noctis' gut was becoming. It was not right. This should not be happening.

“Well, let's just move on then.” Slinging his axe over his shoulder, Gladiolus pressed onward.

“Wait!”

“What's wrong?”

“The Crystal Shard...” Still not making full sense of it himself, Noctis placed a hand to his forehead. “It's like...it's all around us.”

“You mean it's _here_?” Prompto scratched his head in confusion. “But I thought we had a while to go before we got to it!”

“I don't know.” Letting out a heavy sigh, Noctis stared at the clearing before them. The feeling he got...it had _something_ to do with the place.

Suddenly becoming serious, Prompto readied his shotgun. “We gonna fight some sort of grass monster now?”

“No... I-I don't know... This hasn't happened before.” Since starting their journey, Noctis had never felt such confusion from the missing shards. At least, there had always been a faint feeling. Now, it was like the the feeling was all muddled around them. He did not like the confusion it brought to him. “Let's...just keep going a little farther. Maybe it'll pass with this place...” Cautious, Noctis drew forth his sword. This was a new situation, and he wanted to be ready for anything. They had barely reached the middle of the clearing when...

“What are you doing here?”

Stopping dead in his tracks, Noctis looked in the direction the voice had come from. He was certain no one had been there before; the clearing had been completely empty. Yet a young girl now stood there, and he had not heard her approach at all. That, and this did not seem like the kind of place a young girl would be on her own either. Black hair was tied up into two ponytails, while her right eye was completely masked by her bangs.

“What are _you_ doing here?” asked Prompto while the others seemed as confused by the girl's presence as Noctis was.

The young girl puffed out her cheeks. “I asked first!”

“We're...passing through...” answered Noctis, a bit more warily than he might have liked. That feeling he had gotten when they first came to the clearing, it had somehow intensified with the appearance of the girl.

Blinking, the girl seemed to calm back down. “Oh...” Her brown eyes studied each of them. Only when they reached the final member of their group did a wide smile suddenly split across her face. “Sister!”

“Sister?” repeated Noctis and his friends as the young girl came rushing forward.

Crossing the distance between them in a matter of seconds, the young girl collided with Niveus and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace. The black-haired girl barely came up to Niveus' abdomen, and yet she had still staggered back from the force of impact. Eyes wide, Niveus stared at the girl with as much confusion as the others did.

“It's so good to see you, sister!”

“ _Sister_ ?” asked Prompto again, his face twisted in confusion. “You're... _related_ to her?”

“Impossible!” barked out Gladiolus. “Niv's not from Zenn'thus... Is she?”

“The fact is that we simply don't know.” Calmly, and having regained his composure, Ignis pushed his glasses back up his nose, eyeing both the young girl and Niveus skeptically. “Without knowing who exactly Niveus is, we can't say for certain where she was originally from.”

Glancing up, Niveus looked to the four of them, her eyes bordering on pleading. Noctis almost felt a pang of sympathy. She was definitely the most confused out of all of them. At the moment, they had now way of telling if what the young girl said was the truth or not.

“I-I don't know you...” muttered Niveus, looking back down to the young girl. Placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, she managed to pry the youth off.

“That's okay!” said the girl warmly. Before Niveus could step away, the young girl took a hold of her hands. No matter what, she seemed intent on staying by Niveus. “Now that we're together, it'll be okay! You'll see!” Giggling, the girl began to twirl around, her hold on Niveus still strong.

“Just who _are_ you?” asked Prompto sternly.

The girl's laughter suddenly stopped. Turning around, the look in her eye was almost akin to fear. Clinging back to Niveus' side, she stared up at Noctis and his friends like they were going to hurt her. “You just want to come between us, don't you?”

“No, no, nothing like that.” Sighing, Prompto ran a hand through his hair. Dealing with an upset or frightened kid was not something they had to do very often, and was not something any of them were good at. “Don't worry. We were just...surprised.” Prompto was trying his best to make sure the young girl stayed calm.

“Really...?”

“Really.”

“Not...even the guy with the red eyes?”

Noctis caught his breath. Red eyes. Raising a hand, he instinctively covered an eye as if to hide it. As far as he knew, his eyes had not shifted to their red hue since the night their Crystal shattered. It was a sign of the Crystal's power when he used it—his eyes turning from their natural blue to a blood-red. They could not be red now...could they? His friends looked back at him, and he shot them a questioning look. Ignis was the first to shake his head. Sighing, Noctis dropped his hand back down. They were not red. But then...how did the girl know? Had it been just a lucky guess? Had she really been referring to Noctis? He wanted to find out the truth, but he feared the girl would not answer right now.

“Not even him...” muttered Prompto, crouching down so he could be closer to the girl's eye-level.

That seemed to reassure the girl, for she loosened her grip on Niveus slightly. “You know...you guys should really try to be happier,” she said suddenly.

“Happier?” asked back Prompto while the others wondered what had brought on that comment. Sighing, the blond shot back a small smirk to Noctis and the other two. “Well, I guess it wouldn't harm these grumpy people to lighten up sometime. Won't hurt you guys to be a bit more like me!”

“You're lying.” Each sentence the girl said seemed to bring only more and more confusion to them. Silently shocked, Prompto looked back at the young girl. “You pretend to be happy, but you're really not. You're the unhappiest one here.”

“I-I...ah...” At a loss for words, Prompto stood back up and backed away. Noctis stared at his friend, concerned. Was Prompto really so...unhappy? If he was, Noctis felt slightly guilty for not having noticed. They were friends, after all.

“Anyway! Sister! You must promise to come home!” Smiling again, the young girl grabbed a hold of Niveus' hand.

“But...”

“Promise!”

“A-all right...”

“Great! I'll be waiting for you. Don't take too long!” Giggling brightly once more, the young girl dropped Niveus' hand and rushed away. Everyone continued to stand there, stunned. “Oh!” Looking over to the girl, Noctis saw her stop by the edge of the clearing. “And you with the red eyes! You need to stop using us! Just stay away!”

“What...?” breathed Noctis.

“Hey, wait a sec!” called out Gladiolus. As the girl turned and ran away into the forest, their scarred friend hurried after her. “Bah!” Kicking the air in front of him in frustration, he turned back around once he reached the edge of the clearing. “She's gone!”

“How did that girl know you could have red eyes?” asked Ignis, cupping his chin in his hand.

Looking over his shoulder at his friend, Noctis gave a helpless shrug. He was at as much a loss as the rest of them. It was eerie, what the girl had said. For such a short encounter, it had certainly unsettled all of them quite a lot.

“We should just continue on,” sighed the Prince.

“But I thought you said it was like it was all around us?” questioned Gladiolus as he returned to them.

“It's back to the way it should be now...” Raising his hands, Noctis rubbed his temples. This matter had given him a headache. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw Niveus still standing there shocked. “You okay?”

“I'm fine...” she answered slowly. With a slight shake of her head, she erased her look of confusion. “I honestly have no idea who that girl is.”

“Don't worry about that. Prompto, how about you?.”

“Pffft, I'm fine!” Raising a hand, the blond waved aside the matter. “Really, don't let what that girl said get to you!” He forced out a laugh. Noctis frowned slightly. It was clear that his friend was more unsettled by what had happened than he wanted to let on. But, Noctis was not about to baby his friend and pry into the matter.

“All right. Let's get going.”

“Gladly,” sighed Gladiolus. “This place won't stop giving me the creeps now.”

Trying to put what had just happened behind them, Noctis and his friends continued on. They were not going to find answers by just standing around. If they were never to cross paths with that girl again, then that would be that. But...if they were to see her again, Noctis suspected it would be tied to wherever it was that he was sensing the next Crystal Shard.

Before they reached the edge of the clearing, Prompto rounded about and stopped in front of Niveus. The pale woman blinked as the blond continued to peer at her. Cupping his chin in his hand, he let out a thoughtful sigh, never once taking his sharp eyes away from Niveus.

“What is it...?” asked Niveus, almost nervously as she shifted her weight uncomfortably. Even Noctis was beginning to wonder just what it was his blond friend was up to right now. He knew his friend could do some rather odd things, but this...

“Bah!” Prompto threw up his arms as if in defeat. “She looks _nothing_ like you. I don't see how you two could be related.”

Letting out a sigh, Noctis pinched the bridge of his nose. It certainly did not take Prompto long to bounce back to his usual personality.

 


	12. Sleep

“Are we there yeeeeet?” whined Prompto for what felt like the umpteenth time that day.

“We're almost there,” answered Noctis once he rolled his eyes. He had gotten quite tired of the question the second time his friend had asked it. The only reassurance that the Prince was able to find in it was that Prompto was back in his normal mood, not that gloomy disposition that had hung over the blond's head a few moments after meeting the rather enigmatic girl.

“That's what you said the  _ last _ time I asked.” Prompto let out a rather loud huff, blowing some of his bangs to the side in the process.

Noctis resisted the urge to bury his face in the palm of his hand. Since they came across the mysterious girl from earlier that day, his mind had been trying to make sense of it all. He did not want to deal with unrelated questions, especially those that had already been asked. “Because I thought that would make you  _ stop _ asking,” answered the Prince, shooting his friend a displeased look over his shoulder.

“Aw, c'mon, Noct.” A wide grin spread across the blond's face as he tapped his shotgun confidently against his shoulder. He appeared to be rather amused by the situation. “You should know by now that that wouldn't have worked.”

From near the back of the group, Gladiolus let out a loud laugh. “'Fraid he's got you there, Noct!”

Despite his underlying mood, Noctis found himself chuckling wryly. With everything that had happened recently, from meeting Vacua to encountering the mysterious girl earlier that day, the Prince's mood had neared brooding. But, the more he thought about it, the more he came to the conclusion that it was becoming pointless to let it worry him so. At least for now. It felt good to laugh again, even if it was just lightly.

“Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?” asked Noctis, shooting his friend a one-sided smirk.

“I suppose that's a good thing.” Prompto let out a long and exasperated sigh. “Keeping your hopes up is useful, even if the only thing that keeps your hopes going is a hopeless dream.” Quickly, the blond's expression shifted to a playful smirk. The wicked look in his eye told Noctis that he would turn whatever the Prince said into something for amusement.

“Well, at least it got you off of asking me how fa—”

_ Thud _ .

It was then Noctis sorely wished he had been paying attention to where he had been walking. Coming into contact with the ground by using his head was not a pleasant experience. Several grumbled curses escaped him as he pushed himself up. The sound of a couple of his friends laughing (mainly Prompto's) did not help the situation either, nor did it help his injured pride.

“Lose your footing there, Noct?” asked Prompto, but not out of concern. He seemed rather gleeful over watching his friend fall to the ground. “Not exactly fitting for a Prince, don't ya think?”

“Oh, shut up...” Before the Prince stood fully up, he looked back where he had been to try and find the reason he had fallen. Of course, the cause he found came as no surprise. In fact, it only added insult to injury that it had been a simple root that he had tripped over. He found himself glaring at the tree as he shifted his gaze upward. A sharp gasp suddenly escaped him when he saw something he did not expect to see at all. Scrambling backwards, Noctis stared at the not-so-normal tree, his eyes wide in shock.

“What's with that look, Noct?” Holding his shotgun at the ready, just in case, Prompto came over to Noctis' side to see what had surprised the Prince. “Whoa!” Nearly tripping himself, their blond friend stumbled back in a similar manner to Noctis. “That is  _ not _ normal!”

“Just what in blazes is having the two of you worked up so much?” huffed Gladiolus, coming around himself as well to see what was causing all the fuss. Even their scarred friend was unable to hold back his shock when he saw what had disturbed the first two. The only one to remain calm was Ignis when he moved around as well. Calmly pushing his glasses back up his nose, their bespectacled friend peered at the tree. Not being phased at all by what was going on, Niveus remained where she was, looking off in another direction completely.

“How the heck did he get to  _ be _ like this?” Using his shotgun, for he was still very suspicious of the circumstance, Prompto gestured to the tree that had caused all the commotion.

After licking his lips apprehensively, Noctis walked towards the tree. It was not the tree itself that had been causing the surprise amongst them, but what was  _ inside _ the tree that they could see. Protected by a barrier of branches that wrapped unnaturally around, a middle-aged man remained encased inside the tree. Never had any of them seen anything like it before. Curiosity taking a hold of his action, Noctis waved a hand in front of the man's face to see if he would respond to that. Nothing.

“Is he dead?” questioned Prompto, rather bluntly, as he came up beside Noctis.

“ No, I don't think so. See? He's breathing.”

“Well, then let's get him the hell out of there!”

“Stop!”

Prompto froze solid, his hand inches away from tearing away part of the cage of branches. His eyes wide, as though he was afraid of doing anything else right then, the blond looked back at Ignis. “What...?” he asked tentatively.

Sighing in frustration, Ignis placed a hand to his temple as though he were fighting of a headache. “We have no idea  _ why _ that man is in that state, or what removing him from it will do. For all we know, he could be in some sort of suspended animation and removing him would kill him.”

“Suspended animation?” Prompto blinked before he frowned. “In a  _ tree _ ?”

Ignis continued to give a flat stare at Prompto from behind his glasses. “After all we've seen since starting on this journey, you get hung up over  _ that _ ?”

“Well, sorry if I just find this weird, even for us.”

“Then what would you propose is going on?”

“I don't know! Something like...like...”

Noctis had long since blocked out the small argument between Prompto and Ignis. The Prince continued to stare at the man before them. There was something odd behind this, more than just what they saw. It did not feel like it was caused from a Crystal Shard directly, but something...similar, at least. What that was though, he could not say.

“They're dreaming,” came the soft voice of Niveus that somehow managed to silent the others. Blinking, Noctis looked over to where she stood, and was surprised by how far away from them she was. What had caught her attention?

“Dreaming?”

“ _ They _ ?”

Standing before another tree, the white-haired woman continued to stare up at it. Much like the one Noctis and his friends stood by, the one in front of her had a similar cage of branches that curled unnaturally around the trunk. It was not so much the sight of that one other tree that caused Noctis' gut to suddenly clench, but the sight of the rest that could be seen beyond. All of them held a separate person inside, trapped for reasons that they did not know.

“How many are there?” questioned Gladiolus. Even their large friend was disturbed by the circumstance. Looking in the opposite direction of Niveus, they saw even more of the prison-like trees.

“And where the heck did they come from?”

“Something tells me we'll find out soon enough...” sighed Noctis. First the mysterious girl and now this. What else would they come across in one day? “Niveus, you said they're dreaming?”

Nodding, she rejoined their side. “Their bodies are here, but their minds are not.”

“That description could be used for a lot of people I know...” mumbled Prompto.

“They must be dreaming about some pretty damn happy stuff,” huffed Gladiolus. “Those smiles on their faces... It's just not right to be smiling while in a situation like that.”

“Is there  _ anything _ we can do for them?”

“Without knowing more, there's nothing much we can do.” Ignis let out a long sigh. It was his way of showing that even he was concerned about what they had discovered.

Noctis surveyed the odd trees one more time before turning around, his mind set. “There is one thing we can do for them.” As he started back off in the original direction they had been heading, the others soon caught back up. “We find whateve r's causing this and put an end to it.”

“So, Noct...” started Prompto once the prison trees were far behind. Noctis bristled, knowing what had to be coming next. He could not escape it for long after all. “Are we there yet?”

 

* * *

 

Noctis had a foreboding feeling about the village before they had even reached it. As soon as they had entered, the feeling became even worse. An unnatural chill in the air clung to their skin. It was as though there was an outside force pressing down on them, slowly snuffing out any shred of life. Compared to Yeon, or even the rest of Zenn'thus they had travelled through, the feeling of the place was completely shifted. It did not feel like they could possibly be in the same planet.

“Noct? Please tell me this is not where the blasted shard is so we can keep going. ” A shudder coursed over Prompto's body. Stopping in his tracks, the blond did not seem thrilled over the idea of having to take another step into the village. “And that should tell you something if  _ I'm _ the one that wants to get a move on and not spend the night here.”

A similar shiver crawled up Noctis' own spine. After being in the village for no more than a few minutes, already he was not wanting to stay himself. But, that could not change what needed to be done.

“This is where we need to be,” Noctis sighed. The Crystal Shard that he sensed, it had to be somewhere either in the village, or very close to it, from what he could tell. Perhaps it was the cause for the village feeling so...unnatural. How that was coming to be, he could not say. But it had been over two months now since the painful shattering. There was no telling what sort of effects a shard could cause after that much time.

“Great! We'll just go around knocking on people's doors and ask them if they have a shiny crystal, then we can get the hell out of here!”

“Judging from our past experiences...” started Ignis, drawing all eyes to him. “What makes you think it would possibly be that easy for us?”

A frown crossed Prompto's face. It was one of annoyance rather than anything akin to deep thought. “A guy can dream, can't he?” His frown disappearing, the blond shot Noctis a playful smirk. Shaking his head to hide his amusement, the Prince focused back on what was in front of him, which was a good thing too, for he had been about to bump into someone.

Quickly stopping, Noctis took a step back to make sure the man was outside of his personal comfort zone. The man who stopped to look at them was not alone. At his side was a woman and a young boy. A family, Noctis assumed. A rather...sickly-looking family, he re-evaluated. Both the man and woman had gaunter features than would be considered healthy. Dark circles hung under their eyes. It was as though they had not gotten a peaceful night's sleep in a while. Noctis could only hope that was the reason. But, on the other hand, the young boy with them did not seem to have anything that might h ave been ailing him.

“Are you five travelers?” questioned the man, eying all of them.

“Something like that...”

“Then you'd best keep on travelling and leave this place.” The sudden shift in the man's tone of voice caused Noctis to become unsettled. “Quickly! Leave while you still can.”

“What the...” muttered Prompto. “ _ Why _ ?”

A sharp look crossed the man's eyes, but Noctis could see what truly lay behind it: fear. “This place is cursed.” As if mentioning it were cause enough, the man seemed to shrink back in terror. “Take my word and don't stay here.”

Concern rose in Noctis. What was happening in this village? “I'm afraid we have to stay here...”

The man threw up his hand in defeat. “Fine. Whatever. It's not my job to worry about you. Let's get out of here.” Taking the woman's hand in his, the man led his family off in rather a rush. The young boy protested about leaving the village until they were gone from sight.

“Cursed?” repeated Prompto, eying the village as though it was suddenly a disease. “Great. That's just great. Well...” Spinning his shotgun around once, the blond looked back over to his friends. “I guess that means the shard is here after all.” His lips formed a thin line as he pursed them together in thought. “It couldn't be attached to the entire  _ village _ , could it?”

“That's ridiculous,” responded Ignis.

That caused Prompto to quickly round on their bespectacled friend. “Oh, and this coming from the guy who keeps on saying I don't have an open enough mind after all we've seen?”

“I never said it like that.”

Prompto's eyes narrowed. “Yeah, and I know you well enough to get what you wanted to say.”

“ _ Guys _ !” Noctis nearly shouted. While other times he might have found their argument amusing (as long as he was not dragged into it), now was not quite the time nor place for it. “How 'bout we get going so we can be done with this place as soon as possible, okay?”

“Let's,” groaned out Gladiolus. The tall man rubbed his neck as he looked around the village once again. “I'm not liking this place one bit myself.”

“All right, all right.” A wave of his hand showed that Prompto was done with his little argument. “The big baby gets his way. Where to?”

Motioning for the others to follow (after Prompto had been pulled into yet another headlock courtesy of Gladiolus), Noctis headed off for the nearby inn. There was something else about the village that unsettled him. It was only once they entered the inn did he realize just what it was: they had seen no one else since entering the village. Besides the family that had been fleeing, there had been no one else in the streets. The place was as close to a ghost town as one could get.

Though there had been no one else outside, there were at least still a few occupants inside the inn that they could see once they entered. Most had the same tired look to them as the first man and woman they had encountered. Did it have something to deal with why the man had said the village was cursed? Noctis mainly hoped that everything was at least connected, and that the village did not have multiple reasons for their problems.

“Are there any kids in this village?” asked Noctis once they had secured the rooms needed while they stayed in the village.

The clerk behind the desk blinked, tilting her head to the side slightly. “There are quite the number of children here...”

“We're looking for a young girl with black hair...”

“Who's totally creepy!” finished Prompto, cutting Ignis off.

The blonde woman seemed to flinch ever so slightly at the description of the girl they had met. “Yes...” she answered after a moment. “I-I believe you're talking about Hitomi...”

“Who is this Hitomi?” questioned Ignis.

The woman looked around nervously, as though afraid someone would overhear her. “She's a young girl that lives in the back of the village, to the north... She used to be just rather shy, and was often sick, but now...”

“She's creepy?” Once more, Prompto's blunt remark caused him to receive a swift kick in his leg from Gladiolus.

“S-something like that...” The woman cast her head down, most likely ashamed for thinking such a thing of the child.

Seeing that the woman was becoming more and more uncomfortable, Noctis quickly bowed his head to her. “Thanks for the help.” As he turned to leave, the Prince made sure to grab a hold of Prompto's arm to drag him out before he could question what Noctis was doing. The others followed them out with no hassle.

“We're looking for her  _ now _ ?” questioned the blond once they stepped back outside. The streets still as empty and cold as they had been before.

“It's still light out. Besides, the sooner we find out if that girl is the same one we met or not the better.”

Prompto let out a huff and shifted his shotgun on his shoulder. “Meeting that odd little girl again? Greeeeaaaaat.”

“Aw, is someone not looking forward to being called unhappy some more?” cooed Gladiolus. As he reached out for Prompto, as though to ruffle up his hair, their blond friend scurried away and out of reach. The glare that Gladiolus then received said that if he brought that matter up again, he would regret it dearly.

Leading them through the barren streets, Noctis hurried along to find the home of this Hitomi. Glancing at the other buildings they passed, the Prince found some relief when he saw that a few people could be seen inside, and some would even now hurry along from building to building. The town was not completely dead after all...it just felt like it was.

“Do you believe that to be Hitomi's house?” questioned Ignis as they came towards the edge of the village. A lone house, separated from all the rest, was all that stood between them and the woods beyond the village wall.

“Look!” Nearly bouncing forward, Prompto pointed to the side of the house. Out from the shadows stepped a young girl with the same black hair and bright sundress as they had seen in the field. Seeing her play with a ball in the yard, they could hardly believe it was the same girl that set them on edge earlier. “So that girl  _ is _ Hitomi.”

All of them hurried across the final stretch of distance to reach the side of the young girl. Turning to see what was the cause of the noise, Hitomi stared up at them, rather wide-eyed. She seemed so...innocent, not someone that should have been described as “creepy” by Prompto, or anyone else. Her one visible eye scanned over all of them before resting on only one of their group.

“Sister!” she called out cheerily. Dropping the ball from her hands, she rushed past Noctis and the others to get to Niveus' side. The white-haired woman looked just as surprised over the action now as she had been the first time it occurred. “Oh, I'm so glad you made it!”

“Are you Hitomi?” questioned Ignis.

Blinking, the young girl looked back to him while still managing to keep a tight hold around Niveus' waist. “I am.”

“Hitomi,” began Noctis, kneeling down so he could be closer to her eye-level. “What did you mean before when you told me to stop using you?” It was those words more than anything that brought questions to Noctis' mind. By now, he had come up with a theory...but he could only hope that he was sorely mistaken.

The young girl glanced up at Niveus before switching her gaze back to Noctis. It was as though she were still afraid of the dark-haired Prince. “I meant just what I said. You should stop. It's not good to use things while they're damaged.” Noctis's frown deepened as he rose back up. It seemed like he would not be getting a clearer answer. Even so, the answer that she did give only made his suspicions worse.

“Say, Hitomi, why do you call Niveus your sister?” asked Prompto. Scratching his head, their blond friend looked between Niveus and Hitomi. “Are you two really related...?”

As soon as her gaze switched from Noctis to Prompto, Hitomi let out a quick giggle. It was as though as long as she was not focused on the Prince, she was happier. “It's simple!” Her hold on Niveus tightened as she gave the pale woman a hug. For the first time in a while, Niveus appeared genuinely uncomfortable. She would shift her weight nervously, uncertain of how to proceed with Hitomi still clutching on to her. “We're the same!”

“The same?” repeated Noctis and his friends.

“ _ Hitomi _ !” shouted out a sudden voice. All of them looked up to see a middle-aged woman storming towards them. Judging from her black hair and features, Noctis quickly assumed that the woman was Hitomi's mother. He did not have time to do or think anything else before the mother rushed up to Hitomi's side. “Stay away from her!” Protectively taking a hold of her child, she pulled her away from Niveus.

“Hey! We don't mean her any harm!” snapped Prompto, pulling Niveus back to their side. Noctis spared a concerned glance to the pale woman. She looked to be at a loss in their current situation, which was not at all surprising for the Prince. Sighing, he looked back to the frazzled mother, who still held onto her daughter protectively.

“Our apologies if we appeared threatening, but we had some questions and there was no one else around...” Noctis shot Ignis a quick look in thanks for coming up with a slightly more reasonable comment. He did not really wish to deal with the mother as long as she was in her current state. Dealing with people was not a strong point of his yet, and even less so with nearly hysteric mothers.

“You're... You're not from here?” Calming down rather quickly, the mother looked between Noctis and his friends. Her grip on Hitomi loosened. Sighing, she brushed back some of her stray strands of hair. “My apologies... Things have been rather...stressful lately...” That felt like an immediate understatement to Noctis. Though she did not have quite the same gaunt and sleepless look that the other people they had come across did, she did appear to be rather strung-out. “My name is Aya. If you have questions, please, come inside.” Kneeling down, she made Hitomi look straight at her. “I told you no to play outside.”

“But, mother...”

“Hitomi... Come along.” Grabbing her daughter's hand, Aya led them all back to the house. Inside was much darker than Noctis expected. Only a few lit candles were keeping the shadows at bay. At the very least, Aya quickly went to light a few more. “It has been a while since we've had visitors... What brings you here?”

“We're travelers,” answered Noctis. It was far from the whole truth, but it was not exactly a lie either. They were travelling to find the remaining shards, after all.

“We were passing through when someone leaving mentioned something odd about this village,” continued Ignis. Noctis let out a small sigh, thankful that he did not have to continue on with the explanation himself. He knew that his bespectacled friend was much better with coming up with believable stories anyway.

“What did the person say?” asked Aya, almost warily.

“That this place is cursed.”

A sigh escaped the frazzled mother. “That was not always the case...”

“What happened here?”

“A couple months ago is when it changed.” Noctis felt his heartbeat quicken. A couple months... It coincided with the shattering of their Crystal. Whatever was the reason behind the “curse” on the village, Noctis now believed fully it had to deal with the Crystal Shard he sensed. “When night fell, people would fall asleep...”

“And how the heck is  _ that _ something odd?” remarked Prompto. Before he could receive another kick in the leg, he quickly hopped to the side, making sure to keep his distance from Gladiolus.

Aya shook her head. “It is not the falling asleep that was the reason people began to believe we are cursed, but when certain people would not  _ wake _ .”

“They're still  _ asleep _ ?”

“The longest case has been asleep for just over two months now, I believe.”

“That's gotta be a record...”

“They're happy in their dreams,” said Hitomi suddenly. Attention then shifted to her. Once more, Noctis wondered how she seemed to know things that she  _ should not _ know. His suspicions continually grew worse. “Normally they'd be lying and miserable, but now they can be happy!”

“H-Hitomi...” Shaking her head, Aya went back over to her daughter's side. “You should leave that woman alone...” Nearly whimpering, Hitomi clutched onto Niveus tighter. Since entering the house, the young girl had yet again found her way back to Niveus' side.

“Sorry, but she has taken quite the liking to Niveus,” explained Ignis.

“Come back here, Hitomi.” Taking her daughter's hand in hers once more, Aya pulled her away from Niveus. Once she was freed from the young girl's grasp, their pale companion seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “As for everyone else...” continued Aya, keeping her daughter by her side. “Most speak of nightmares that have been plaguing them. Those that leave are never seen again. It's because of this that people have begun to call our village cursed...”

“They'd be happier if they just gave in...” muttered Hitomi.

“Hitomi! Don't say such things!”

“B-but it's true!”

“Miss Aya?” Ignis quickly cleared his throat, getting the attention of mother and daughter before they could argue further. “Why were you so shocked to see us by your daughter before?”

Aya dipped her head to them slightly. “My apologies for how I acted, but the villagers here have not been kind to us since all of this began. Ever since my husband died, things were not easy for us, especially with Hitomi getting sick almost all the time.” The mother squeezed her daughter's hand lovingly. “But when all this started two months ago, Hitomi miraculously got better... But the villagers have been calling it an omen rather than a blessing... I-I suspect people here are just looking for someone to blame...”

Noctis pursed his lips together. He was liking this situation less and less. Even so, they were going to have to do whatever needed to be done to get the next shard. If it was connected to the unnatural sleep and nightmares, he hoped that retrieving it would put an end to the problems, but if it did not... Well, he was not quite sure what to do after that.

“Thank you for your time.” The Prince was quick to bow curtly to Aya. “We must be heading back to the inn now.”

 

The windowsill was pleasantly cool against his hands. Moonlight that trickled in through the window illuminated the room enough so that Noctis was not left in complete darkness. Yet again, his thoughts had kept him from being able to rest easy that night. Unable to sleep, he had come out to the lobby so that he would not disturb his friends. It was troubling him too much, the matter with this shard. Despite having gathered quite the number already, this one was making him almost...nervous. Why was it causing him such unrest? They had not even discovered where the Crystal Shard was yet.

“Unable to sleep?” asked a voice from the shadows. Noctis nearly jumped at the question, not having expected anyone else to be there. At first, part of him expected it to be Niveus, for, when he thought about it, she was often the one to talk to him late at night. But, once the tone of the voice fully registered, it became clear who was also awake.

“I could ask the same for you, Ignis.” Noctis smirked slightly as he turned to face his friend. Calmly leaning against the windowsill, he waited for a response.

“You weren't as quiet when leaving the room as you might have believed...” shrugged Ignis. Noctis felt himself wince in embarrassment. Waking up his friends was not something he had aimed for. He mumbled out an apology, hoping that Ignis was then the only one of his friends he had woken. “So what seems to be troubling you?”

The Prince let out a scoff in denial. “What makes you think something has to be troubling me?” An arched eyebrow was all Noctis got for a response from his friend. Just that one simple expression made the Prince feel almost like a chided child. “Yeah, forget I asked...” A long sigh escaped him. “It's just we've never come across a Crystal Shard doing something like  _ this _ to people before. The nightmares, the endless sleep, not to mention those trapped people outside the village! It...worries me. Why this one? Why now?”

“Keep in mind, Noct, that this is also the first shard we've come across in Zenn'thus. Perhaps something over here has caused it to react different than ones back home. We really cannot rule anything out as impossible while collecting them.”

Placing a hand to his temple, Noctis shook his head lightly. “No... I mean, I know, but...I just don't think being on a different continent would change the shard that much—it's all the same world.”

“You have a theory.” Blinking, Noctis looked back up at his friend. It had been a statement, not a question. The stern look Ignis wore began to trouble the Prince more than the matter of the Crystal Shard. “I know you've already come up with one, ever since the field.” Glancing to the side, Noctis did not bring himself to respond. He was not surprised Ignis had noticed, and, from what he gathered, had come to the same conclusion. “If what you assume turns out to be true, you know how this must end.”

“I know!” Clenching his hand into a fist, Noctis slammed it against the windowsill. Or rather, he had intended to.  Instead, he let out a frustrated sigh and placed his hand gently down on the cool surface. “I know...” Chewing on his bottom lip for a moment, Noctis tried to get his thoughts in order. “It's our duty— _ my _ duty—to protect our people. The Crystal must be restored, no matter what. But...just what costs are we really willing to pay to restore it...?”

“Noctis.” The Prince nearly felt himself flinch at his friend's voice. Though it had not been loud, or hardly threatening, the tone of his friend's voice was not one to be taken lightly. Noctis had been on the receiving end of it more than he would have liked. “You are hardly the first ruler, or would-be ruler, to come across such a dilemma. All sides in a confrontation cannot win. It is impossible. Sometimes you must choose the course that will result in the least amount of loss. Factoring in, and being prepared to accept, loss is not something most people like to think about—but  _ you _ are not most people.”

Casting his gaze down, Noctis took his friend's words to heart. He was the Prince of Lucis, and could not forget his people. Slowly, a weak laugh began to escape Noctis. As much as he tried to hold it back, it would not work. Only once he let the laugh fully out was he able to let it run to its natural end. It was a laugh of relief as much as it was of amusement.

“Ignis, why do I always get the feeling that it would have been better if  _ you _ were Prince and not me?” Glancing back to his friend, Noctis could not keep the amusement from dancing in his eyes, though he had managed to end his burst of laughter.

An amused, and almost wicked (especially for Ignis) grin tugged at his bespectacled friend's lips. “Because I do believe that is quite true.” Ignis gave a helpless shrug. “But where would the fun be in that? I could hardly see  _ you _ as a decent adviser, either.”

Noctis frowned, despite knowing it was just a joke. “Yeah, yeah. Let's head back to sleep now.”

“Here's hoping we do not have nightmares.”

Sighing, Noctis started back in the direction of their room. “Right, nightmares...” Ever since the shattering of their Crystal, he had rarely ever gotten a peaceful night's sleep. No matter what he tried, his own personal nightmares would not leave him alone. One more night would not make a difference to him.

 

_ His feet pounded heavily against the asphalt. Each step felt like it would be his last, they were so heavy and painful. But the pain he felt in his own body was nothing compared to what he saw: _

_Destruction._

_Everything around him was destroyed, a mere remnant of the glorious city it had once been. Buildings lay crumbled. Roads and highways were cracked and broken. Nothing was recognizable. What made it worse were the hundreds of dead bodies that were scattered throughout the city. Everything was gone. The people, the city itself... Everything._

_ Noctis clenched his jaw and continued to run. His gut churned violently at the sights, and it grew only worse when he thought about what had caused this.  _ They _ had caused this destruction. They had taken too long in collecting the scattered Crystal Shards, and now his home, and his people, had been destroyed because of it. _

_“Please...” he chocked out. Though nothing was recognizable, he continued to run. Having known the city like the back of his hand, he was still able to find his way through the destruction. “Please...!” His voice was distant, even to his own ears. Still he ran. He had to hope that there was at least someone alive in all of this. Someone had to be saved, or else it really would have all been for nothing._

_Though destroyed, Noctis knew that the building before him was once the Temple that housed their beloved Crystal. Seeing it gave the Prince the strength he needed to push onward. If he could just get the Crystal back to where it was meant to be, maybe...maybe..._

_Up and up he climbed, some of the stairs crumbling beneath his weight. Even with his limbs now aching, he continued to climb. Nearly to the top... There still had to be hope...somewhere._

_Reaching the desired floor, Noctis collapsed to his hands and knees from exhaustion. Gritting his teeth, Noctis took the pain and forced himself to stand. He could not give up, not when he was so close to being done. Panting, he looked to where the Crystal had once been, only to have something else catch his gaze._

_“Niveus!” Why was his body so sluggish? Exhaustion aside, he was not moving as fast as he knew he could. After what felt like ages, he finally reached her motionless side. Nearly falling to the ground, he sank down beside her. Whispering her name again, he reached out a hand towards her body. She was just unconscious, right? Why was she even here?_

_As soon as his gloved hand came in contact with her, he almost recoiled in fear. Right before his eyes, her body began to break, as though she had been glass. The shards drifted upward, and he tried to keep them from floating away. They faded into nothingness once his hand came into contact with any of the shards, the only remnant that they had been there at all was the warm feeling that spread through his fingers. When he looked back down, she was completely gone._

_A hopeless gasp escaped him. Clenching his hands into fists, he slammed them against the ground in anger. He wanted to yell. He wanted to cry out. Could he save no one?_

_Despair began to dig its sharp claws into him. What was left for him now? Nothing. There was no one left that could be saved; he had only been fooling himself. Hopeless, he looked up, and felt a sudden claw tighten around his chest._

_A Crystal hung where theirs had always rested...yet it was not their eternal guardian._

_Noctis stared at the foreign Crystal with fear. It should not be there. This...this was not right at all._

_ “What the...  _ Agh _!” Crying out in pain, Noctis clutched his head. It was not like the pain he had once felt of their Crystal crying out in distress. This was something different. This was like...something was trying to force itself upon his mind. Quickly, he put up what mental defences he could muster in his current situation. It was a small defence, but it kept his mind from being completely overrun. _

_“Get...out...!” he grunted, clutching onto his head tighter. He could hear a voice muttering words and phrases inside his mind. From what he could gather, the voice kept talking about a red-eyed monster and a thief. The bodiless voice sent chills crawling up his spine. He just wanted to get away from it, to have it stop._

_ “ _ Shut up _!” _

_The voice suddenly grew ten times louder in his mind. It pounded against his head, causing the Prince to cry out in pain and frustration. He had to stop it. Somehow._

_Looking back up, Noctis shot a glare at the foreign Crystal. He then immediately wished he had not. It was as though when he looked at the Crystal, the voice in his head grew even more dominant. That was not all. Before, the Crystal had looked almost identical to his, but now..._

_ A rather large eye was etched inside of the Crystal, and it peered down at him. The unwavering gaze kept him in its sight. It not only looked at him, but  _ through _ him. _

_“Dammit... Go...away...!” No matter what he tried, the defences he had attempted to put up was too little too late. He felt the foreign entity break into his mind, leaving nothing unchecked._

_A blinding light flashed in front of Noctis' vision. Suddenly, what lay before him was not the destroyed Temple and the foreign Crystal, but the Temple as it should be, with their ancient guardian resting back where it always had been. All seemed well...until he spotted Creon from the corner of his vision. Within a second, his Crystal shattered, and the flash of light returned._

_Memories. That is what they were. Images that rolled past his vision after each flash of light were his memories. They were being drawn from every time. He saw moments from his childhood to even events that had occurred in the past two months._

_“These are...my memories, dammit!” Gritting his teeth, Noctis looked back up at the Crystal with the unnatural eye once the flashes of memories momentarily ceased. “Stay out of them!”_

_The voice in his head grew louder. For a moment, Noctis curled over from the skull-splitting pain. He had to find a way to get it to stop. He did not know how much more of it he could take. When he looked back up, a sharp gasp escaped him._

_The eye that was etched inside the Crystal...it had become blood-red._

“I said get out!”

A loud  _ thud _ reached Noctis' ears. The voice had suddenly ceased. Panting hard, his heart racing like he had just run for an entire day, he blinked and looked around. Darkness clouded his vision, but it was the simple, and almost welcoming, darkness of pre-dawn. It was not long before a light came on, and he recognized his surroundings for the room at the inn.

“Noctis, are you all right?” asked Ignis, across the room.

“What the  _ hell _ were you dreaming about?” asked the muffled voice of Prompto from...the floor? Perplexed, Noctis looked over and saw his blond friend pulling himself up from the ground. Normally, a nervous chuckle would have escaped Noctis when he realized he had accidentally knocked his friend off the bed, but given what he had just gone through, he could not. A glare met the Prince as Prompto fully rose.

“You must have been having quite the nightmare, Noct...” grumbled Gladiolus, rather drowsily.

Noctis swallowed, trying to bring some moisture back to his throat. “What about you guys? Did any of you have nightmares?”

“Mine started off nice, we were on the  _ Daedalus _ , but it went downhill from there...” A shudder shook across Gladiolus' form.

“I dreamt we were battling against the Obruo, and I do believe even Vacua was there as an enemy. Things...were hardly going well for us.” Ignis pushed his glasses back up his nose, masking whatever expression he may have been wearing.

“I had a dream with that blasted Saul in it,” grumbled Prompto, anger in his voice. “If we ever come across that guy again...” His threat was left open to their imaginations, but the message was clear.

“What of you, Noct?” questioned Ignis.

The Prince ran a hand down his face. Though it had been just a dream, a nightmare, it had all felt so real. Ghosts of the pain still lingered on. “I had a dream of...what could come to pass...”

“Great. Just one night here and we've already got part of this place's  _ curse _ on us.” Prompto threw up his arms helplessly. “Just what are we meant to do now?”

“It was her...” muttered Noctis, keeping a hand rested against his forehead.

“What?”

“In the dream... I could tell...it was her...” The feeling of that other presence breaking into his mind... It would not leave him alone.

“Noct, if you don't give us a straight answer, I swear I'll—”

“It was  _ Hitomi _ .”

 


	13. Dreams

Morning did not come soon enough for the Prince. Stepping back into that dream world was not an option for him, and so Noctis had spent the last few hours trying to think of their next course of action. There had been no doubt about it. Inside his dream, inside his _nightmare_ , the cause behind the whole ordeal had been Hitomi. Just how she had managed to break into his subconsciousness like that... Well, finding out how it had been done would be the first thing they did, he decided.

He had his suspicions, of course, but he did not want to make any assumptions, not now. In fact, Noctis could only hope that what he had come to suspect was wrong. That was not something that happened often for him—hoping that he was mistaken.

“Are we leaving?” asked Niveus once she opened her door and saw who it was.

“Did you have a nightmare?” questioned Noctis quickly before his friends could say anything else, and completely ignored her query in the process. If he and the others had all had nightmares, it stood to reason that the pale woman had as well. Part of him had been tempted to check with her over the night, to see if she had been troubled, especially since he had had nothing better to do than wait till the morning came. Waiting, in the end, won.

Niveus tilted her head to the side and Noctis immediately felt his expression fall before she uttered out another word. “What is a nightmare?” she asked, that air of innocence still present in any question of hers. The Prince resisted the urge to let out an exasperated sigh. “Miss Aya mentioned them before, but...what are they?” All this time, and she still did not know about some of the simplest things. The only shred of comfort Noctis was able to find in the question was that she had waited to ask _them_ , and not had enquired someone else.

“You don't even know what a _nightmare_ is?” was Prompto's blunt question. Though that very same thought had been on the Prince's mind—and he was sure it had been on the other's as well—he at least had enough sense to not ask about it without any concern. But, as was almost expected, especially these days, Prompto received a light but swift clap to his head from Gladiolus. Their blond friend quickly placed a hand over the area that had just been hit, and shot an unamused glare. “ _What_? It was a fair question!”

“Nightmares are bad dreams that one can have while asleep,” explained Ignis calmly, pushing up his glasses. “Did you have any?”

Pale eyes darted to Ignis' direction before Niveus gently shook her head. “No. I did not dream at all.” Her gaze then shifted to the others in turn. Noctis felt himself run a hand over his face, as though to erase the troubled look he knew he wore. Out of the four of them, he knew he looked the most frazzled, thanks to his nightmare. “Did...you all have nightmares?”

“And bloody peachy ones at that,” Gladiolus replied with a groan.

“Do you believe they were caused by whatever is affecting the townspeople?”

“That's what we're about to find out. C'mon.” Waving a hand over his shoulder, Noctis gestured for all of them to follow. Knowing full well that they were not far behind, the Prince pressed onward. He wanted to get to the bottom of this matter as quickly as possible. And, if it led them closer to the Crystal Shard, all the better.

“Were your nightmares so bad?” questioned Niveus, rather softly, as they exited the inn. From the front, Noctis felt himself shudder at the memory.

“They...were far from ideal,” answered Ignis, not appearing to have been affected greatly by his nightmare at all as he continued on to explain what their nightmares had been. Whether that was an act, or he had already moved on from the nightmare, the Prince could not say. Noctis could only wish he was able to push the memory of his nightmare away so quickly. As far as his friends knew, his nightmare had been no different from theirs. But that assault on his mind...none of them had had the same experience. The only good (if one could call it _good_ ) that had come from it was that they now had a lead to follow.

“What the...” muttered Prompto as they neared Hitmoi's house. “What's everyone doing here?”

“It appears like everyone who is awake in the village has gathered.” Surveying the crowd amassed before them, Ignis gave them one of his skeptic looks.

“Yeah, but _why_?”

“Something tells me it's not good,” huffed Gladiolus from the back. Noctis swallowed and pressed onward. None of them had a good feeling about what was unfolding before them.

“What have we done? Please, just leave us alone!” pleaded a voice from the other side of the crowd. Cursing under his breath, Noctis picked up the pace to get past those around them. He recognized who the voice belonged to. Once he got to the edge of the crowd, he stopped and stared at what was occurring. “Why are you all doing this to us?” demanded Aya, almost hysterically.

“You are the only one not affected by the nightmares that have befallen this village,” started a villager that took a step forward. Aya's frantic gaze quickly switched to only him rather than the entirety of the crowd. She took a step back, as if trying to defend her home all on her own. “That and Hitomi was suspiciously cured of all that ailed her right when this started to happen!”

Grasping her hands tightly together, Aya fell to her knees. “B-but those are miracles! Why are you blaming us for some shred of good that has happened in all of this?” Reaching out, she grabbed onto the hem of the shirt of the one villager that had stepped forward. She was so...desperate. Noctis felt a pang of pity for seeing someone in such a state.

“Leave this village alone, you witch!” ordered the middle-aged man, smacking Aya. With a cry, she fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

“That's enough!” yelled Prompto as he and the others rushed forward to Aya's side. Ignis and Gladiolus were the ones to offer her helping hands, while Noctis instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword. Before his gaze fell back on the villagers, he could already feel their stares of disapproval. “Look at you people! Ready to condemn someone who's lived with you for years!”

“Stay out of this, outsiders,” growled the villager closest to them.

“You have no idea what it's like to live like this every day!” shouted out a woman from within the crowd.

“This must stop before more people fall to the curse permanently!”

More and more yells of such protest rose up from the villagers. Noctis felt himself sighing in frustration. The chances of them convincing the villagers to stop this seemed impossible. They had been tormented by the nightmares and more for over two months now. It would take much more than just a few words from some _outsiders_ to change their minds.

“Mother?” All other voices stopped as the single word rose up from behind them. For a moment, Noctis caught his breath. It was not so much the voice, or who it belonged to, but what he _felt_ with their arrival to the scene. Everything he feared was falling into place. “Mother, what's going on here?” asked Hitomi, tentatively taking a step away from the front door.

“Get back inside, Hitomi,” scolded Aya quickly, causing her daughter to flinch.

“It's time to put an end to this!”

Everything after that felt like one big blur of confusion. Fed up with what had been happening to them, the villagers began to advance towards Hitomi. Aya was screaming at them to stop and for her daughter to run, at least that was what Noctis believed. Cursing under his breath, he drew forth his sword in precaution. Beside him, his friends readied themselves similarly. Swarming on a defenceless girl did not sit well with any of them, after all. But that was when things went odd. A cry in protest filled the air just before a powerful force sent them all crashing back to the ground.

“Noct, that...power...!” gasped Gladiolus as their scarred friend slowly pushed himself up from the ground.

The Prince remained on the ground a moment longer, fully soaking in what had just happened. He did not need to be told what had caused that sudden attack. The power, the cause behind it, was something he knew all too well. With it had come the feeling. That feeling that had been with him since the start of their journey. That feeling that allowed them to continue onward without them blindly stumbling around. That feeling that was the only thing that kept Noctis' hopes from diminishing in the darkest of moments. That feeling that what they sought was within reach...

Pushing himself up, Noctis looked over his shoulder. Her hands clasped together tightly, Hitomi stared at the people before her with a slight look of surprise in her eyes. It was that moment that Noctis felt his mouth go dry.

Embedded in her forehead above her right eye, that had been previously hidden due to her bangs, was the very Crystal Shard that they were searching for.

“No...” whispered Noctis, though he had long since suspected it of being the case. They had never come across a Crystal Shard being bound to a person before. At that thought, Noctis felt his gaze flicker over to Niveus for a brief moment. It was, after all, the second person they had come across who was connected to a shard. His gaze switched back to Hitomi, and the shard that was partially protruding from her forehead. Only this... This was much worse.

“What... _is_ that thing?” shrieked a voice from the crowd of villagers.

“It's proof that she's the cause of what's going on!” answered another.

“She's become a _monster_!”

“She must be dealt with!”

“Stop it!” yelled Prompto, rounding back on the villagers.

“Hitomi...” Noctis' attention was quickly drawn to Aya. The frazzled mother remained on the ground, her eyes wide and never leaving her daughter. “Wha...”

“Mother?” Hitomi's look of surprise faded as her gaze fell on her mother. Instead of surprise, Noctis saw instead a mask of pain slowly forming over the young girl's visage.

“What is... B-but you're not... You can't be...”

“Can't be human,” finished Hitomi, barely able to choke out the last word herself. “That's...that's what you were going to say...” Noctis felt himself flinch at her words. Not long ago, he had had similar thoughts towards Niveus. Not _human_ ... “The other villagers...I can understand... They're all so scared. They've already thought of me like a monster for a while now. But...but my own _mother_?”

“Hitomi, calm down,” said Noctis, stepping forward. He held out an open hand towards her. “Your mother, she's just shocked, that's all.” His blue orbs shifted back up to the Crystal Shard that had been so close to them all this time. Even _he_ was a little shocked from the sight of it. Monsters, the _real_ monsters they had faced that had been become mad from the raw power, were one thing to see with a Crystal Shard as a part of them, but to see a little girl... It was unsettling, even to him. “She just needs to understand what's going on. So does everyone—and that includes you, Hitomi.”

The young girl studied Noctis for a moment, as if, for whatever small amount of time, she wanted to believe him. But then her gaze changed, and the Prince suddenly felt as though she was looking into his very soul. He winced, the memory of his nightmare returning. It was that same endless gaze that had broken through his defences. Any hope there might of been of Hitomi listening to Noctis was shattered as her expression became stern and she backed up a step.

“No.” Shaking her head, the young girl backed up another step. “Just leave me alone, you red-eyed thief! Everyone! Just leave me _alone_!” In a flash of bright light, Hitomi disappeared. Noctis could only stare at the space where she had just been in disbelief. A few shards of light continued to glint on in the air for a moment before they too faded away like the flash before them. Teleportation... It was the same as the kind he could perform while using the power of the Crystal. All this time...

“Where did she go?”

“Quickly, we must find her!”

Set with a mission, the villagers began to leave. They were after Hitomi, not Aya, after all. Noctis glared at their backs. Save mortally injuring them all (which was not an option Noctis wanted to consider), there was nothing that could be done to stop them.

“What... What have I done...?” chocked out Aya pitifully. She remained where she had been, on her knees, staring at the place her daughter had been standing moments before. “Ever since she got better...I thought she seemed different. But...I didn't want to pay attention to it. I was just so happy she was no longer so sick all the time! And that scar... I just thought she had gotten it from playing outside; I didn't think it would be...!” Aya breathed in shakily. As she looked up, the hints of tears could be seen in the corners of her eyes. “I didn't want to believe the villagers. I denied it...for as long as I could. Where did I go wrong...?”

“You've done no wrong,” comforted Gladiolus. “Any parent would have done the same for their kid.”

Slowly, Aya rose and looked at them. When her gaze locked with Noctis', he felt his chest tighten, and not in any good way. Behind the the tears that Aya kept from rolling down her face, there was no hint of hope in her sullen eyes. All of it...gone. He had never seen someone look so hopeless before. Only a truly hopeless person could even begin to suggest what she was about to say: “Please...put an end to this. ...Kill her...”

Noctis felt himself stumble backwards in surprise and shock of the request. “W-what?” he stammered, not wanting to believe his ears.

“This will only get worse...especially for her. So please, kill her, before she brings more grief to anyone else...”

Opening his mouth, the Prince tried to find the words to respond, but nothing came out. That hopelessness in her eyes... What she asked for was the only option she saw left.

“Miss, I mean no disrespect, but...you're nuts!” barked out Prompto. “We don't _ask_ for people to _kill_ our children! There has to be another way around this! Right Noct?” Blinking, the blond looked over to the dark-haired Prince as he waited for a response. Noctis merely continued to stand there in silence. “Noct...? You're not seriously considering this crazy request, are you?”

“What would you have me do?!” he suddenly snapped. Completely frustrated, he threw his sword down. It stood straight for a moment before the weight of it brought the blade to hit the ground with a light _thud_ . He clenched his hands into fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white under his gloves. “Do you think I _want_ to kill a young, innocent girl? All previous shards we've come across, we've _had_ to kill whatever it was they were bound to so that we could retrieve them! We...!” Sighing, Noctis tried to get his emotions back under control. “We have no other choice... There's only the one option here...!” He switched his gaze to each of his friends. None of them could bring themselves to look back at him. In their hearts, they knew they could not argue with the dark-haired Prince.

“We look for another way.” As soon as she spoke up, all eyes fell onto Niveus. The pale woman quickly noticed this, and she shifted her weight nervously as she had come to do whenever she was the center of attention. “The only reason we don't know if there is another way to retrieve the shard is because there has not been a _need_ to find another way, right?” She looked to each of them, as if expecting they would have an answer. Silence was all she got in return for her theory was still fully processing in their minds. She seemed hesitant to continue, like she was afraid of saying something wrong. “Then...this time...we try to find another way to retrieve the shard... And if we can't, then...then...” For only a split second, Noctis could have sworn he saw a shred of empathy glint in her eyes as she looked towards Aya. “Then we will simply be fulfilling the mother's wish.”

Another way to retrieve the Crystal Shard? Did she really believe there was such an option? Noctis sighed before slowly picking up his sword in the silence that followed. He could hardly believe it himself. He _wanted_ to, but it was much harder to actually do.

“However you may do it, please...” begged Aya, “please just stop my daughter's suffering.”

“We'll have to find her then.” Noctis sighed heavily. Before they could even do anything else, they would have to find just where it was Hitomi vanished. Nodding, Aya then turned and headed back to her house. She was standing straighter than Noctis remembered her standing before, as if trying to appear strong in this dark time for her.

“That was a teleportation ability—the same as the Protectors could do. Hitomi could be anywhere that only _she_ knows about by now,” remarked Ignis once Aya was gone. It was subtle, but Noctis knew from his tone of voice that his bespectacled friend was frustrated.

“How will we find where she is, then?” asked Prompto, twirling his shotgun around like he would sometimes do when he was in deep thought. “Noct, can you sense where she—where the _shard—_ is?”

“I...can't.” Noctis blinked in surprise. He had not expected that to happen. With all the frustration at the thought of having to kill Hitomi, and her own mother _asking_ them to do so, he had not noticed that he could not sense where the Crystal Shard was at the moment. It was a similar sensation to when they had first met her. Everything was muddled. But, thankfully, an idea dawned on the Prince. “But there's still something we can do to find her...” Turning back to look at his friends, Noctis slung his sword back over his shoulder in determination. “We use the same ability _she's_ been using to find her.”

“...She's been using an ability?” questioned Prompto, his face scrunched up in confusion.

“I didn't want to believe it, but after the nightmares last night, and seeing her with the Crystal Shard just now, there is no more denying it. Whether it be intentional or not, she has been using the shard's power to affect everyone here. It's how she's been able to change our dreams, to keep people asleep, and to know what people are thinking... She's been using telepathy.”

“ _Telepathy_? But...you've never mentioned that as one of the Protector's abilities before!”

“That's because you're not _meant_ to know about it. The public is not aware of it because we did not want them worrying over whether or not their thoughts were always being scanned or something... It was also decided that the ability would only be used in the most dire of circumstances.”

“Well...that's certainly some new information for us...”

“How are we to use the ability to find Hitomi?” questioned Ignis, getting the topic back on track.

“She's been using people's dreams against them, so it's time for us to use hers.” Even as he was saying it, the idea sounded weird even to him. He had never thought about using his telepathic abilities like this before, nor did he even consider using those abilities under more normal circumstances. “We fight her...in her dreams.”

“ _Fight_ her in her _dreams_?” repeated Prompto. “Sorry, that's sounding a bit too surreal, even for my liking.”

“It could be the other way to retrieve the shard without killing Hitomi,” offered Ignis, keeping quite calm over the prospect of going into someone else's dream. “To defeat the bond between her and the shard without destroying her body. Then again, we could end up shattering her mind beyond repair, leaving only an empty shell of the person she once was.” He shrugged nonchalantly, as if that outcome was no worse than the former.

Noctis cringed slightly. He had not thought about that possibility. They could end up leaving her in a way of life that would be worse than death. Her mind would be gone, but her body would still be trapped in the world. “You could have _not_ mentioned that, you know...”

“It's a risk we have to be aware of.”

“So, either we kill her, or we don't,” huffed Gladiolus, crossing his arms. “Well, even if it's only a small chance, I think we should at least try to keep her alive.”

“But how the hell are we gonna even _get_ into her dreams?” enquired Prompto, continuing to be the skeptic in the situation. “Sorry Noct, but you can't use your abilities that well right now even at the best of times.”

“Which is why I won't be the one doing it.” Holding out a hand, Noctis gestured to the quiet woman of their group. When he looked over, he caught her blinking in confusion before what remained unsaid made full sense to the pale-haired woman.

“Me?” She seemed to get rather flustered at the prospect of being the one to handle the situation. “B-but how will I—”

“You'll have to go into each of our dreams, gather us up, and then find a way to get into Hitomi's mind. You're connected to the shard, so you should be able to use it like she has been.” Noctis paused and scratched his head in thought. “At least...something like that... I'm really not too sure.” This matter would lead them into uncharted grounds. Never had Noctis even thought of using the telepathic abilities like this before. And Niveus was not skilled in using the Crystal's power. Luck was going to have to play a fairly large role in how things would turn out.

“Gee, if it's so easy, why aren't _you_ the one doing it?” asked Prompto, somewhat smugly. “Niv's barely used the Crystal's abilities at all. Wouldn't you have a better chance at it than her?”

Noctis felt his cheeks grow red as he became flustered. Quickly, he glanced down so his friends would hopefully not notice. Though, knowing his friends...his action was futile. “I-I've never actually used the telepathic abilities before... That and...and I don't _like_ using it...” he added under his breath.

“...What?”

Clenching his jaw, the Prince stood straighter. He hoped to hold onto some shred of dignity still. “I've never been one to have to use it before! I've only known a couple of Protectors ever having to use that skill since I've been one.”

Prompto let out a sigh and shrugged helplessly. “So it looks like we got two people who've never tried using this ability on our side that will be going up against a little girl who already seems to be a master in it. What could possibly go wrong?”

 

* * *

 

There was only destruction as far as he could see. A cold wind carried the scent of smoke from the dying fires that littered his beloved city. He ran, hoping there would be an end to what he saw at some point. But, no matter how far he ran, it did not change.

An odd sense of _deja vu_ fell over Noctis as he climbed the stairs of the Temple that would have housed the Crystal. Something was not right. Not as though any of what he saw _was_ right, but this was...different. His pace slowed for a moment as he tried to make sense of it. Or, at least, he thought he had slowed. Something kept him running up and up the stairs. Right... He had to get the Crystal back into place. Maybe, just maybe, he could fix things to some degree.

“Niveus?!” he cried out in surprise when he saw her prone form lying on the floor. The pendant that normally hung safely around her neck lay shattered on the tiles beside her. This was not right. This was not right at all. His body felt heavy as he tried to run towards her. Each step took a feat of strength that was far past what he was used to. This was not meant to be happening!

“Noctis?” The soft voice nearly made the Prince jump. He came to a sudden stop a few feet away from Niveus' fallen body and almost fell to his knees under his own weight. Turning around, he stumbled back from what he saw.

Standing where he had been moments before was Niveus. She stared straight at Noctis, unemotional as ever. The Prince felt his breath quicken. It was almost like seeing a ghost. Were there really two of her? Glancing over his shoulder for a brief moment, he wished he had not.

Her body was slowly transforming into a crystal-like substance right before his eyes. Crying out in surprise, he frantically went over to her side and tried to wipe the substance away. No matter how much he removed, more and more covered her. The foreign material cracked off into shards and floated away. With each one, Niveus was slowly being reduced to nothing. It was not long before she was completely gone, his efforts having been in vain.

“What did you do?” he practically growled in anger. Holding out a hand, he summoned the power that resided within his being. Tendrils of light wisped around his hand before his trusted sword materialized within his grip. “You imposter!” He briefly saw the look of confusion across the fake-Niveus' face as he charged straight for her.

“Noctis, what are you doing?” Confusion rang in her voice as she barely managed to dodge his attack in time. Pieces of tile chipped away from the impact of his blade against the floor. She sounded like her. She looked like her. She had the same movement in her steps as the real Niveus. Everything was like the person she had copied, and it angered the Prince to no end.

_She_ was the cause of this. _She_ was behind all that had happened. The destruction of his home. The death of his people. The disappearance of Niveus. All had to have been caused by that...that _imposter._ Anger fuelled Noctis' attacks. Each swing of his blade was brought closer and closer to his target. Still she danced away from his strikes. Still she did not try to attack back. Why? What was she waiting for? It did not matter. Let that be her downfall, for he would not cease his assault.

“ _Wake up_!”

Everything stopped.

Panting hard, Noctis' gaze travelled down the length of his blade. The cool steel did not move at all, for the Prince was not moving. Down and down his gaze travelled, until it reached the tip. Pale flesh was pressed against it, or rather, his blade was pressed right against the pale flesh. His gaze shifted over to what his blade had nearly sliced, and upwards. Staring right back at him was Niveus' hauntingly pale eyes.

He could tell her breathing was quick thanks to the strands of hair that moved back and forth with each gasp of air. It it had not been for that, he would have thought her not to be breathing at all, for he did not hear it. Her eyes were... _not_ wide in surprise. They were opened no more than they normally were. What caught his attention the most was the look _within_ her eyes: a look of fear. Fear that she would not succeed. Fear that she would do things wrong. Fear that she would _fail_.

“Ni-Niveus?” he panted. Carefully, he moved his blade away from her neck. His mind swirled around violently, everything becoming murky. There was no chance for him to process a clear thought at the moment. “What... What's happened?”

“You're dreaming.”

Noctis blinked. A dream? Looking around, he stared at his surroundings as if they were in a new light. All of it...was in his own mind?

“Remember? It was the plan you came up with—to find and deal with Hitomi within her own mind.”

Dreams. The Crystal Shard. Telepathy.

Fragments of his thoughts became clear. He remembered seeing the Crystal Shard embedded in Hitomi's forehead. He remembered her vanishing in the same light that he did whenever he would teleport. He remembered her frantic mother begging them to do something about her daughter. He remembered...

“You were to come into each of our minds...” he whispered softly. Looking back up, he caught Niveus nodding. She had done it. She had managed to find a way to reach inside their minds like Hitomi had done. “And so then...” Noctis felt his cheeks grow red in embarrassment so quickly that he did not have time to hide it. “And then I just went and _attacked_ you!” Letting go of his sword, he watched it vanish into nothing. It had certainly been one of the worst ways to greet her after all the trouble she had probably gone through to get inside his nightmare in the first place. What would have happened if he had killed her?

“It's fine. You thought I was part of your nightmare.” That did not help his embarrassment at all. Here she was finding reasons for his actions when he should have just been profusely apologizing to her instead. “So this was your nightmare?” she questioned, quickly changing the topic before Noctis could even bring himself to apologize to her. Pale eyes darted over to one of the large windows and the destroyed city that lay outside.

“Yeah...” he sighed, glancing around. It was weird, to know he was in a dream and yet not wake up the next moment. He had control over everything—what he thought, what he said, what he did—yet he was still within his nightmare. Noctis blinked. Looking over to Niveus, he realized just what it meant to be seeing her there. She was in his nightmare. She was in his _mind_.

If he had been embarrassed before, it was nothing compared to how he now felt. The dark-haired Prince was very thankful that she was not looking at him, and was unable to see the blush across his cheeks. His mind and thoughts were _his_ . No matter what, no one else (under normal circumstances) could know exactly what was going on in his mind. Yet here she was, inside his thoughts. It was then he was able to find some shred of comfort in that this was a nightmare, and not what he could otherwise be dreaming about. _That_ could have led to truly embarrassing moments.

It was the main reason he avoided using the telepathic abilities of the Crystal as much as possible. It was much too _personal_ for his liking. From having simple and quick conversations to invading someone's mind to extract information, it made him too uncomfortable.

“So your eyes... They really do become red.”

“What?” Noctis instinctively clamped a hand over one of his eyes to hide it. He then remembered he had been able to use the Crystal's power within this dream. And using the power of their ancient guardian meant that his eyes had changed from their familiar blue to a blood-red. She, unlike his other friends, had never seen the subtle transformation before. Ever since the shattering of their Crystal, it had not happened, even when he managed to use the power of the shards for a brief moment. But in his dream, in his nightmare, his powers were whole. “It happens... It would happen when I used the power of the Crystal before it shattered.” Slowly, he let his hand fall back to his side.

“I see.”

Noctis blinked. That was it? That was her only reaction to this new sight? But, then again, he realized, it _was_ Niveus, after all. For something to affect her, it truly had to be great. And finding out that his eyes could in fact be red, as Hitomi had been saying since she first met them, was not something that categorized under that.

“How are we to find the others?” she asked, once more changing topics before a single matter could be dwelt upon for too long.

“How did you get to me?”

Niveus pursed her lips together and glanced to the side. “I'm...not too sure. I was able to find you first, I believe, because of your connection to the Crystal.” Her hand reached up and clasped what still hung from her neck. Noctis breathed a sigh in relief. It was safe, and not lying shattered on the ground like in his nightmare. “Finding your friends might prove to be more...challenging.”

“Well, we won't find them by just hanging around here. C'mon.” Motioning for her to follow, Noctis proceeded to leave the Temple. Everything was the same. The scenery of his nightmare had not changed. Buildings were still destroyed. Roads were still crumbled. Nothing was as it should be. It did not feel as bad as it had before, at least, thanks to knowing that this was all just a bad dream.

“What if we were to focus our thoughts?” Noctis stopped and looked over his shoulder at Niveus. The pale woman seemed to think his gaze was out of judgement for she meekly took a step back. “I mean... I'm really not sure how this telepathy you mentioned works, but when trying to get to you, I felt the connection the Crystal has with you, and I focused on...that...” she slowly trailed off.

Noctis shrugged. “It's worth a shot.” He was no master of telepathy himself. But, as long as it dealt with the mind and thoughts, he believed they were at least on the right track. Niveus gave a firm nod and stood straighter, no longer appearing so meek. Pulling up her necklace, she held it out towards Noctis, who, in turn, arched an eyebrow. She continued to stare at him, not saying a word, until he finally gave in and let out a sigh.

Tentatively, he reached out a hand towards the Crystal Shard. His hesitation was mostly caused by the memory of what had happened the first tried to take the necklace from Niveus. The pain and numbness that followed was not something he would be forgetting any time soon. But, much to his relief, it did not reject him as his hand came closer. Slowly, his fingers curled around it, and he let out a near-exhilarated sigh. The Crystal. _His_ Crystal. Even if it was just a dream, it felt _right_ to have it with him again.

He pushed the thoughts of the Crystal from his mind. Focus was required. Distraction would not help them now. Breathing out slowly to calm himself, Noctis brought the thoughts of his friends to mind. He called out to them. He reached for them. He did anything he could think of that would enable them to breach over to their minds.

“There!” he breathed out, feeling something. He was not quite sure who, but he knew it had to be one of his friends. Letting go of the Crystal, he quickly turned and headed off in the direction his senses told him to go. Only a few steps behind, Niveus quickly followed.

No longer were his footsteps heavy. No longer were his movements sluggish. He ran as fast as he could through the destroyed streets of his home. The nightmare tried to take over, that much he could feel, but he would not let it. Still they ran. Noctis was certain they were getting closer. The feeling he would not let go of grew stronger in his mind.

Panting, the Prince skidded to a halt in front of another building. Something bumped into him and he looked over to see Niveus quickly standing back up straight and taking a step back. She muttered an apology, but he did not really hear it. Looking up, Noctis studied the partially destroyed building before them. The upper levels were gone, but the ground floor still seemed like it would be intact.

“Here?” questioned Niveus, placing a hand on the door frame.

Noctis licked his lips and nodded. Slowly, he reached out towards the handle. He was not sure how this would work. But, there was only one way to find out. Finding his determination, Noctis opened the door and walked on through...

And nearly stumbled to the ground by tripping over something.

Regaining his footing, the Prince quickly stepped to the side and looked back at what he had nearly tripped over. Various wiring and tubing ran across the floor. But, unlike the rest of his nightmare, it was not rubble. No. The various cables, wires, and tubing was organized in an endless maze. It may have seemed confusing at first glance, but it was hardly like that from destruction. Looking up, he saw Niveus stepping to the side as she glanced around at their surroundings. The door they had travelled through was... _gone_.

“This place...looks familiar...” murmured Niveus.

Looking back at their new environment, Noctis tried to place where they had seen such ancient wiring before. It was when his eyes fell upon what lay in the shadows did he remember.

“Obruo...” he breathed out, holding out his hand to summon forth his sword again. But, unlike while in his own dream, it did not come to him. Noctis looked down at his empty hand and let out a curse. Why was it not working?

“We're...no longer in your mind.” Noctis looked back to Niveus and blinked. She seemed to have noticed that he had been unable to summon forth his sword. “Things are not quite the same.” Raising a hand, she pointed to his back. His brow creasing in confusion, Noctis peered over his shoulder to see what she was gesturing to when he saw his sword resting there. He had not even noticed it! Grunting slightly, he drew it forth, annoyed at once again being unable to use the Crystal's power at his slightest whim.

Noctis quickly cleared his throat. “If we're in the factory where the Obruo were built, then this...this must be Ignis' mind.” Turning around, he tried to get some sort of bearings in the ancient place, but it was not easy. Everything was dark and looked like it repeated on with no end in sight.

“There!” Noctis' attention shifted to Niveus before he looked to where she now pointed. Off in the distance was a faint source of light. It was not much, but it was all they had to go on.

Moving a bit slower than he would have liked, for it was easier to trip over the odd terrain, Noctis and Niveus made their way towards the single point light. It was odd, knowing that he was in Ignis' mind. A light shiver crawled up his spine from his dislike of having to use the telepathic abilities of the Crystal. But, desperate times called for desperate measures.

As they neared the source of light, it became clear that it was a similar structure to what they had found Vacua in when they first came to the factory. Running up the small flight of stairs, Noctis came to a sudden halt when he reached the top.

“Ignis?” he breathed. His friend stood with his back to them, his weapons ready at his sides. By how quickly his sides were moving in and out, Noctis knew that Ignis was breathing heavily. Glancing down, the Prince let out an odd noise in surprise. Vacua was lying on the ground, nearly completely destroyed. A few sparks shot out of her exposed wiring. Artificial skin and hair were burnt beyond recognition. “What ha—” Noctis quickly cut his question short when he saw what also was lying on the ground: the dead bodies of Noctis, Niveus, Prompto, and Gladiolus. When Noctis looked back up, he felt his throat close up when he saw the look on Ignis' face.

“More androids?” he breathed softly, wiping away some of the blood that dripped from a cut at the side of his mouth. “How did—” Ignis let out a huff. Pushing his glasses back up, he shot a glare at Noctis and Niveus. “That does not matter.”

“Hey! Ignis!” Noctis barely had time to register what was going on. Bringing his sword forward, he blocked the strong attack of Ignis. A loud curse escaped the Prince. He had sparred with Ignis before, but now, it was like he was fighting with a whole new strength. Maybe in all their previous matches, he had simply been holding back... Noctis made a small mental note to bring it up with his bespectacled friend when the whole matter was over with. “Listen! It's me!”

“Trickery,” spat Ignis, light bouncing off his glasses and masking his eyes completely. Noctis always hated when Ignis looked like that. It made him seem so...unnatural, almost like he was a robot himself. “You are an enemy to our Crystal!” Jumping back, Ignis raised a hand and cast his trusted fire spell.

A cry of pain escaped Noctis when he felt heat sear over his arm. Tendrils of flame licked up at him. For being all in his mind, it felt real enough. Quickly, he tried to put out the fire before it spread. Niveus came up to his side to help with extinguishing the flames. Together, the fire was dealt with, and Noctis looked back up...without a moment to spare.

A loud _clang_ rang through the air as Ignis' weapons clashed with Noctis' sword. This fighting was not the answer! Something else had to be done.

“Ignis...!” grunted Noctis, locking his friends blades in place in attempts to keep him from jumping away. It was much harder to actually hold in place than he thought it would be. He had no idea that Ignis could be such a strong fighter. A great tactician, of course, a skilled fighter, certainly, but not just so _strong_. “SNAP OUT OF IT!” Twisting his sword around, Noctis sent Ignis falling back to the ground.

Panting hard, Noctis kept his sword at the ready in case Ignis tried for another sudden attack. Moments passed... More moments passed... When Ignis finally began to stir, Noctis shifted his footing and braced himself.

At last, only when Ignis rose, did Noctis let out a sigh of relief. One look at the confused expression on his bespectacled friend's face, and he knew he had done it. That confusion was the same confusion Noctis had felt when he was woken up within his nightmare.

“Noctis?” asked Ignis, lowering his weapons.

“Yeah, it's me.”

Ignis' gaze shifted between Noctis and Niveus before he erased the look of confusion from his face. “You guys actually made it.”

Noctis quickly felt himself bristling before he crossed his arms in defence. “You seem surprised...”

Ignis shrugged lightly. “Well, you do have to admit, you two aren't exactly the most skilled in thi—”

“All right! All right!” The Prince was quick to cut his friend off. “We're newbs in this matter. We get that!” Letting out a huff, Noctis felt the sudden urge to smack the smirk off of Ignis' face. “Let's just move on out of here. Niveus.” Turning around, Noctis held out his hand towards her. She was quick to bring up her necklace, which Noctis swiftly took a hold of.

Focusing his mind again, Noctis searched for his remaining friends. He tried to ignore Ignis staring at him, but that was much harder to do than he thought. A frown slowly formed across his face. He had to find them. Distractions would not be tolerated—

“Got it!” Letting go of the Crystal Shard, Noctis ended up jumping down the small flight of stairs. He could hear Ignis sighing behind him before he and Niveus followed. Darkness began to cling to them the farther away they got from the remains of the battle. A then rumbling filled the air, and Noctis slowed. “What...was that?”

A cruse from Ignis rose up, and Noctis knew right away it could not be good. “I was afraid of this...”

“Afraid of _what_?”

“Remember how I mentioned that we were facing Obruo in my nightmare before...?” The creaking of metal could be heard. The ground shook as something large and heavy fell down. “Seems like we could not escape that in this nightmare either...”

Looking over his shoulder, Noctis saw the massive forms of several Obruo coming to life. Though it was all just in Ignis' mind, Noctis was not about to find out what battling them would be like. “Run,” he grunted, taking a few shaky steps back. “ _Run_!”

Without waiting another second, the Prince and the others hurried off through the old factory. Lights were slowly coming on, and the entire place was now waking up after all the years of slumber. More and more Obruo were released from their holdings, completed or not. Their lights searched for the intruders. And, once locked on, began to follow.

“You just _had_ to go and have a nightmare with these blasted things in it?!” Noctis shouted over his shoulder.

“My apologies, _your highness_ , but controlling dreams is not exactly something I can do.” Ignis did not even try to mask his annoyance. Noctis frowned even more. He knew his friend was very frustrated having called him by his title rather than his name. That only ever happened when Ignis was greatly annoyed...or was seeking to make Noctis annoyed.

Skidding to a halt, Noctis reached the elevator door first. He pulled open the old doors and scrambled on, the others hurrying behind him. Grunting, he tried to get the door closed as quickly as possibly. The old hinges creaked in protest. It may have been fairly easy to open, but closing it was a whole other matter.

“Hurry!” scolded Ignis, reaching over to lend his assistance. Looking up, he saw the Obruo nearing in on their position. Another curse escaped Noctis and he tried with all his might to get the door closed. It was only when Niveus lent her assistance did the three of them managed to get it closed in time.

The second it shut, Noctis let out a sigh of relief. Life hummed into the engine of the elevator and they began to travel upwards. Up and up they went, much higher than Nocti remembered the real elevator ride lasting. When he was just about fed up with waiting, Noctis opened his mouth to say something when the elevator came to a stop with a light _ding_ sounding off.

Sirens wailing met them as the door slid open automatically. Noctis quickly stepped into the hallways of _Daedalus_. It was very annoying to have the constant loud sound wailing in their ears. Without even waiting, the Prince hurried along to find Gladiolus, who he assumed was lost in this nightmare.

It did not take long before Noctis' assumptions came crashing down on him. Holding his head, the dark-haired Prince pushed himself back up after having fallen to the ground from the crash. When he looked up at who he had collided with, Noctis felt a brief moment of happiness before he realized what was most likely about to happen.

“You traitors...” growled out Gladiolus. “How could you sabotage us?!” Roaring in anger, their scarred friend unleashed his mighty axe upon them. Noctis barely had time to scramble back to avoid the blow. Cursing loudly, he drew forth his sword and met Gladiolus' next attack head-on.

“Listen to me! This is all a dream!” Noctis went straight into trying to bring his friend from his nightmare. He parried to the side just as Ignis used his fire spell to force Gladiolus back. “This isn't _real_!”

Gladiolu's axe halted in mid-slice. Blinking in confusion, their scarred friend stared at Noctis as if he were in a whole new light. “What's going on?”

Noctis let out a quick sigh in relief for his friend coming around so quickly. “We'll explain later. Right now, we need to move on before this blasted airship crashes! Niveus!” As soon as he turned around, he saw her already holding out the necklace towards him. He grasped it firmly in his hand to be able to find his final friend. Forcing the wailing sirens from his hearing, Noctis focused his thoughts once more. Already, he was getting faster at finding the minds of his friends. Even just a little practice with telepathy seemed to go a long way. “Hurry!” Noctis barked out once he uncovered the mind of Prompto. At least, he was as certain as he could be that it was Prompto. If it was not, well, he did not desire to find out how that would unfold.

Racing through the halls, Noctis made yet another mental note to bring up with the Caldwell brothers just how much they should clean up their airship. All the loose wiring and spare parts proved to be rather annoying to maneuver around quickly. A loud grunt escaped Noctis once he reached the door he believed to be the one they needed. Grabbing onto the handle, he wrenched it open and tumbled on through without even looking. Only when the last of them hurried through and the door close did the annoying sirens stop.

“What is _with_ all these nightmares?” panted Noctis, taking a moment to catch his breath. “Why are we seen as an enemy?”

“Because we are,” answered Ignis like it were the most obvious thing in the world. “You aren't normally meant to be in our minds. Therefore, our subconscious sees you as an intruder that must be removed.”

“At least we're almost done with this stupid mind-hopping thing...”

“Noctis, wasn't this your nightmare?” Noctis' eyes flickered over to Niveus for a second before he turned around. A noise of surprise escaped him.

“It's... It's all the same...” breathed the Prince.

Destruction met their eyes. Buildings were razed. Roads were shattered. Bodies of his people lay dead. All looked the same as before.

“You mean...we're back in Noct's mind?”

“That's impossible!” protested the Prince. He shook his head in denial. “This can't be my mind!”

“Calm down.” Ignis' strong and steady voice quickly brought Noctis back from getting so worked up over what they saw. “We'll look around first before coming to any conclusions. Noct, lead on. If this is Prompto's mind, you will be the one to find him.”

Noctis swallowed before nodding. He was still a bit shaken at the sight of his destroyed home again. The one good thing about it was that he, and the others, could travel through quickly with their eyes closed since they knew it so well. Save Niveus, but she was able to follow without any trouble.

Up and up Noctis climbed once more. The stairs of the Temple crumbled beneath their feet. It gave Noctis the chills, seeing this place in such a state again. With having left his nightmare behind, he thought he would not have to see it again ever.

When they reached the top, Noctis felt a shred of relief. It was not his nightmare after all. Standing in front of where the Crystal should have been was Prompto. His shotgun hung limply in his grip at his side. The blond continued to stare forward, not seeming to have noticed their entrance at all.

“Prompto! You're in a dream! You gotta snap out of it!” started Noctis strongly, walking towards his friend. Once Prompto was pulled from his nightmare, they could move on to Hitomi.

“How could you do this to us?”

“What?” Noctis stopped. Mentally, he let out a curse in annoyance. It looked like pulling Prompto from his nightmare was not going to be so easy.

“How could you do this to your _people_?” When Prompto turned around, Noctis nearly flinched at seeing his friend's expression. Normally, Prompto had a rather carefree expression on his face. Even when he was annoyed at them, there was always that hint of the light-hearted Prompto Noctis had grown up with. But now... There was no amusement hidden in his expression. There was no joy that sparkled endlessly within his eyes. He was serious. He was infuriated.

“Prompto, wha—”

“It's all your fault! _All_ of this!”

“Prompto! It's me! Snap out—”

“I _know_ it's you!” Prompto shouted back. Seeing his friend like this...it actually _frightened_ Noctis. “Tell me! Tell me why! Why did you let this happen to us? Why didn't you protect the Crystal!?” Letting out a cry in frustration, Prompto sunk to his knees. “Now we're all doomed... All that we knew... All that we ever cared about... Everything... Gone...”

“It's not gone yet, Prompto.” The second Noctis moved another inch forward, he stopped. His blond friend, thralled by his nightmare, shot a heated glare up at the Prince. Noctis barely had time to register what was happening before the shotgun fired with a loud _bang_.

Bullets bounced off his sword. Behind him, he heard more ricochet around after coming into contact with Gladiolus' axe. Noctis had to jump to the side quickly so that his face would not come into contact with Prompto's shotgun. His friend was no fool. He was well aware that in such an enclosed space, he had a better chance of using his shotgun like a melee weapon rather than a normal firearm.

“Stop this!” shouted Noctis, staying on the defensive. No matter what he tried, his words would not breach his friend's rage. “ _Prompto_!”

_Thud_!

Noctis shook his hand that stung with pain. Having a fist come into contact with a jaw was never comfortable. He let out a frustrated sigh as he watched Prompto continue to sit on the ground, his hand covering where Noctis' fist had met it. Punching the blond was far from his first choice, but it seemed to be one of the only options he had left.

“Noct...” breathed Prompto, his bright eyes staring up at the Prince in confusion. Soon, that look of confusion was quickly replaced by one of anger. But Noctis did not worry, for it was not the same anger from mere moments before. “What the hell was _that_ for?!”

A light snort of amusement escaped Noctis. At least Prompto was back to the Prompto they all knew. “Sorry, kinda had to bring you to your senses.”

Grunting, Prompto rubbed his sore jaw as he rose up. “Don't you think you could have tried something a bit more subtle?” Noctis merely shrugged. “Bah, whatever...” Prompto's gaze shifted to the others there. “So, I'm the last one, huh? Well, let's find Hitomi's mind!”

“Prompto,” said Noctis, his voice unusually stern for him. His blond friend blinked and looked back, stopping mid-stride.

“What?”

“Why is this your nightmare? You said before that it was back with Saul...”

“So? Is it so strange to have more than one nightmare?”

Noctis' gestured to himself, Ignis, and Gladiolus. “We've all had the same nightmares while here.” Shifting his weight, Prompto no longer met Noctis' concerned gaze. “Does it have something to do with why Hitomi said you were so unhappy before?”

“Just forget about it, Noctis.”

“No!” Firmly walking forward, he reached out and grabbed Prompto's collar His friend had attacked him. And it was not like in Ignis or Gladiolus' nightmares where they thought him to be an enemy, Prompto had purposely fought _him_. He would not leave this matter alone any more. “If there's something I've done wrong, tell me!”

A long sigh escaped Prompto after a moment. Reaching up, he pried Noctis' hand off of him. “I'm not unhappy... I'm _pissed_!” Letting out a quick noise in frustration, he ran his hands through his hair. “But it's not 'cause of you... Okay, so I'm a little annoyed that you didn't stop that Creon creep from doing what he did to our Crystal, but it's not your fault. You're really not as all-powerful as you believe you are.” That caused Noctis to frown. “I'm pissed that the Crystal decided to shatter in the first place. I'm pissed that Creon went and killed pretty much all of our other Protectors. And I'm most of all pissed at the Council and their backwater way of thinking!”

“The Council?”

“Think about it! They've had _plenty_ of time to come up with other ways for us to live over the generations! Not that I'm saying we should abandon the Crystal completely, but you think we should at least come up with some other ways to survive without having to rely one-hundred percent on the thing! That way, if something like this ever happens again, we won't be royally screwed! So that our home...!” Prompto paused to take a deep breath in attempts to calm himself down. Raising a hand, he pointed to the destroyed city that lay outside the window. “So that it doesn't become like _this_.”

Noctis looked back out the window and felt his gut churn. It could not be allowed to happen. “I promise...” he muttered, “I promise I'll change things when I become King.”

“So, can we get going now?” Prompto's normal mood quickly returned as he slung his shotgun over his shoulder. “How exactly are we gonna be doing that, anyway?”

“Watch and learn,” responded Noctis, smugly. He was quickly becoming overconfident in his skills. Now he just had to find one more mind and they would be done. Securing his blade on his back, Noctis walked back over to where the others had stood the whole time. When he was a few feet away, Niveus pulled out the necklace, as if already by instinct. His hand clasped around the shard one final time.

Reaching out with his mind, he searched for Hitomi. It was much harder to find her than it was his friends, for he had no real personal connection to her. But, at least for now, there was some shred of connection: she was the one who was causing their nightmares. The Prince searched along the threads that connected their minds to hers. He felt Niveus by his side, and together they channelled the power of the Crystal Shards they had gathered to strengthen the pathway to Hitomi.

“Noctis!” blurted Prompto. The Prince felt his concentration shatter and he rounded on his friend, ready to yell at him for ruining their work. His words got lost in his throat when he looked over to where his blond friend was pointing.

Hanging in the air where their Crystal should have been was a large portal. Unlike the ones they had seen Creon and his subordinates travel through, this one was white. Tendrils flowed out from it. Shards of light, like little flecks of Crystal, radiated away from the new portal. That, Noctis assumed, was the gateway into Hitomi's mind.

“Okay, now this has _really_ gotten too surreal for my tastes.”

“Aw, c'mom, don't be a wuss,” countered Gladiolus. Placing a firm hand on Prompto's shoulder, he steered the blond towards the portal. Prompto was quick to protest, and tried to struggle against his friend, but his attempts were in vain. He was the first to disappear into the portal, followed shortly behind by Gladiolus. With a shrug, Ignis was the next one to head on through.

Glancing over to Niveus, Noctis quickly looked back towards the portal once he saw that she had been staring at him. After clearing his throat, the Prince readied himself as best he could mentally before heading forward himself. There was a light hum that he could begin to hear coming from the portal once he got closer. Somehow, he knew, that the ethereal creation before them was connected to the Crystal. Taking a deep breath, Noctis took a step through the strange portal...

And stumbled forward once his foot came into contact with something solid. A strong pair of hands gripped his arms and helped him to steady. Before he could say anything else, he was pulled to the side. Turning around, he saw Niveus emerging from the portal, having been only a few feet behind him. Like him, she seemed to fumble over her footing, only to receive assistance from Prompto and Ignis.

Once they were all safely through, the portal began to diminish. Smaller and smaller it went until it was completely snuffed from existence. Only a few shards of light that hung in the air for a couple more moments were testament to it having been there at all.

“So... _this_ is Hitomi's mind?” questioned Prompto, gazing about. “This girl's got some imagination...”

Noctis turned away from the others so he could soak in their surroundings himself. He felt his jaw nearly drop open. Buildings unlike anything he had ever seen before rose up into the sky. They were sleek, and appeared to be far beyond their greatest technological capabilities. It was so foreign that it began to border on being alien. Even the sky was different. Hues of violets, pinks, and blues swirled together to paint a hauntingly beautiful sea in the sky.

So foreign, and yet...Noctis felt a sense of familiarity with it. No, he realized, it was not his own sense, but rather _its_.

“This...this isn't Hitomi's mind,” breathed the Prince once he was able to get his mouth working again. “It's the _Crystal's_.”

“Oh, well, of _course_ !” Prompto threw up his arms, sarcasm dripping from his words. “That makes _complete_ sense!”

Noctis rolled his eyes at his friend's remarks. No matter what he said, it would not change where they were. “C'mon, let's just find Hitomi.” Drawing forth his sword, he set off at a brisk pace through the streets.

Though grand, there was a coldness about the city. It felt unnaturally empty. The whole place was a ghost of what it once was—a mere fragment of a memory. This was not how the city was meant to be.

They continued through the strange city. It was very unnerving to meet no other soul, even though they knew it was fake. No matter how much time seemed to pass, the lighting of the sky did not change. It continued to swirl around, as if stuck in an eternal hour of twilight.

“Is that Hitomi?” questioned Gladiolus, bringing Noctis from his thoughts. He stared up the path ahead of them and saw a raised platform. It seemed as though something fairly important once rested there, but no more. Instead, a small figure sat all alone. Even before seeing her, Noctis knew it was the young girl. It may have taken a few minutes, but the five of them eventually reached the platform where she sat.

“I told you to leave me alone,” she murmured, sniffling lightly. “Why does everyone hate me? I was only trying to make them happy—they're happier in the dream world once they face their nightmares. I just wanted them to be able to find that happiness.”

“But, Hitomi, that's just it—they're _dreams_.” Prompto let out a sigh as he stepped forward. “It won't change reality. Come on. Your mother's waiting for you.”

Hitomi sniffed one more time before she became disturbingly silent. Rising, she slowly turned to face them before lifting her head. Noctis had to keep from letting out a noise of surprise. The Crystal Shard that was embedded in her forehead, while once no larger than Niveus' necklace, now had tendrils spreading out like a spider's web across her forehead and down towards her eye. And her eyes...once a warm brown were now a deep blood-red. Their sharp gaze pierced right through all of them.

“You're lying.” Her expression became dark. “You're all scared of me. And my mother...” Taking a step back, Hitomi shook her head. “Even my own mother asked you to kill me!” A near-hysteric sob escaped her. The young girl clutched at her head, as if trying to push the thought from her mind. “Sister, why are you helping _them_?” Hitomi's red eyes met Niveus' pale ones, with such a look of betrayal behind them. “We're the same. We should be helping each other. Together, we cou—”

“ _Stop it_ ! Just stop it!” The cry of protest caught Noctis by surprise. Looking over, he saw Niveus fall to her knees and clutching at her own head as if in desperation. “I may not know much, but I do know that I am _not_ like you!” Her words were like weapons that struck Hitomi. The young girl staggered back, unable to believe what she was hearing.

“But—”

“We are _not_ the same!”

Shaking her head, Hitomi muttered, “No, no, no, no...” without ceasing. “It's a lie. It has to be a lie... Y-you're lying to me...”

As she rose, Niveus readied her weapon. Never had Noctis expected her to look or act like this. To be so...determined. She had had enough. “This must be stopped, Hitomi!”

“How could you... How could you...?” Clutching her hands together, Hitomi then screamed, “ _How could you_!?”

A bright flash of light, originating from where Hitomi stood, blinding them temporarily. Noctis kept his eyes closed as tight as possible until the bright light began to fade away. Slowly he opened his eyes, the surrounding area still too bright for comfort. Humming soon met his ears. His first thoughts went to the portal that they had previously opened, but then they went to something else...

Their Cyrstal.

It had always made a noise like that, at least that Noctis had heard. He had never bothered checking with his friends if they had been able to hear it too. If they could, they could. If not, then Noctis knew it was because of his connection to their Crystal, and it served as a reminder to how alive it really was. But this noise...it sounded...darker, angrier than the noise he had come to enjoy.

Looking up, he saw just why the noise was so familiar, and yet so different. A crystalline entity hung in the air. Shards orbited around what had to be the core of the being. A pale-blue light radiated out from it, sending chills crawling up Noctis' spine rather than comforting him. It was like the Crystal they knew, but it was a perverse and twisted version instead. The mockery of their Crystal...it had to be dealt with.

Without waiting a second, or even throwing in a remark, Prompto started off the fight with firing his shotgun. Much to their surprise, the bullets pierced right into the crystalline entity. A low grown seemed to emanate from the being as it received the wounds. But that was it. The crystalline entity did not appear to be affected in any other way.

The orbiting shards shot out at them like projectile weapons. Prompto cried out in surprise as he managed to dodge out of the way, a crater forming where he had been standing thanks to the force of the impact from the shard. Gladiolus managed to block the attack, barely. He struggled against the strength behind the shard that pressed against his ax, forcing their scarred friend to nearly lose his footing.

A burst of flame suddenly engulfed the shard. An odd noise of pain escaped the entity as it quickly brought back its shards to once again orbit close to the core.

It was then Noctis quickly came up with a plan. Closing his eyes, he reached out towards the shards they had gathered. Their force was stronger now, in this subconscious land. He tapped into that power and felt his body being whisked away. Within a second, he began to fall, but he did not panic, for it was exactly what he had hoped for. Opening his eyes, he saw the crystalline entity hovering below him, still lost in the recoil of pain. Bringing his sword around, Noctis let out a battle cry as he neared the being.

His blade sliced through the core of the crystal. It was tormented. It cried out in pain in the only way it could. The noise from it hurt Noctis' ears like he had not thought possible. He did not want to bring such pain to what was, in the end, a part of his Crystal. But it needed to be done. He gritted his teeth and tried to block the cries of pain from his ears. Just a little more, and it would be done.

Noctis landed hard on the ground. Pulling his sword away, he was quick to move back in case the entity struck out at him from protective instinct. Still it cried in pain, having just had the core of it sliced in half. Breathing harder than normal, Noctis looked up to analyze what his attack had done.

“No!” he cried out in frustration when he saw the two halves slowly sealing back together. At the center of them, temporarily unprotected, he saw it. A small shard glowed there, as though it were the true core. “Get that!” he ordered, bringing his sword back around to try and land a blow before it was lost behind its defences once again.

No sooner had he said it than a weapon pierced through the true core. Noctis stopped and blinked in surprise. He had not expected any of them to be that close to the entity. His eyes followed down the body of the weapon until he saw Niveus. Her face was twisted in pain, as though the cries of torment from the entity had caused her to feel the same pain that had coursed through it. But, that seemed to have done it, for the next thing Noctis knew...

He bolted upright. Breathing hard, he glanced around. To be in one place and then suddenly another without warning could be rather disconcerting. He tried to calm himself once he saw that it was their room at the inn he was back in. Standing up from the chair, he went over to his friends' sides, who were also beginning to stir.

“Holy...!” cried out Prompto before his sudden awakening caused him to fall to the floor. Noctis winced from the loud noise. Several curses escaped from their blond friend as he pushed himself back up, adding mutters of how he might as well just sleep on the floor with how often he had been falling out of bed.

“Everyone all right?” asked Ignis, rising from the other bed.

“Did we really stop it?” pondered Gladiolus, running a hand over his face.

“I would _think_ so,” answered Noctis. “I _hope_ so...”

“Hey, Niv, you okay? You looked pretty shaken-up ba—Niv?” Prompto was quick in scrambling over to her side. The pale woman continued to lie on her part of the bed, completely motionless. “Niv!” The blond reached out and grabbed her shoulders to try and wake her from her slumber. Noctis began to worry. Why was she not waking? All of them had already awakened. Was something wrong?

“Don't crowd her!” scolded Noctis, pulling Prompto away from the pale woman. He was as much telling his friend as he was telling himself to keep away. All of them silently watched her. What could they possibly do to help?

“Hitomi!” she cried out suddenly, bolting upright. Noctis breathed out in relief. Even if she might have seemed rather frazzled, she was at least awake. Never had any of them seen her with her emotions so...raw before. This whole ordeal seemed to have taken the largest tole on her.

“Are you all right?”

“What happened?”

“Hitomi...” The pale woman had to take several deep breaths before her normal demeanor began to return. Though within her eyes, Noctis could still see that she was rather distressed. “I spoke with Hitomi, when it was over... She's in the field...”

 

* * *

 

Noctis pushed aside the tree branches as they may their way through the forest. Warm afternoon sunlight trickled through the canopy. Much less time than he had expected had passed while they were in the world of their dreams. Had they really succeeded in their plan? The Prince certainly hoped so, for when they left the villagers, those who had been asleep for an unnatural length of time were beginning to wake. Even the people they had seen trapped in the prison-like trees were no longer there. It just all had to be connected to what they did.

“Hitomi!” cried out Prompto once they reached the field. He rushed forward to kneel beside the young girl.

“Is she alive?” asked Gladiolus once the rest of them caught up. Noctis' gaze immediately went to the Crystal Shard that was still embedded in her forehead. The only relief he found was that it did not look like it had in her mind. His expression then became grim as he looked over her. Such a young girl should not have had to go through so much.

A sigh of relief escaped from Prompto. “She's still breathing.”

“We must get her back.” Gladiolus was the one to step forward and pick up the young girl. If it had not been for her still breathing, Noctis would have assumed her to be dead. The Prince forced himself to keep on looking forward as they headed back to the village. He could not stand to be reminded of what they had to do to Hitomi.

Villagers looked upon them silently as they slipped through the streets. Already, their rage towards the young girl was fading away. It was ebbed back even more when their sorrowful eyes fell upon her near-lifeless body.

Aya's door slowly opened to reveal a hopeless mother. It was as though she had aged twenty years in the few hours away from her.

“Hitomi!” she cried out as soon as gaze saw what Gladiolus carried in his arms. Tears immediately began to form in her eyes as she covered her mouth to muffle a sob. Stepping to the side, she was quick to motion them inside. Gladiolus did not waste a moment to take Hitomi and place her on the nearest couch. They could only circle around and watch as Aya fell to her knees before her daughter. “I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!” Multiple apologies sobbed out of Aya as she cried over Hitomi.

“Mother...?” came the soft and weak voice of the young girl.

“I never once thought you were a monster! Not for a moment! You are my daughter...”

The faintest of smiles tugged at the corner of Hitomi's mouth as her eyes barely opened. “I'm glad... I'm glad to hear that... So you don't hate me...after all...” A sorrowful sob came from Aya as she shook her head frantically. She clutched her daughter tight, looking like she never wanted to let her go again. Tears rolled down Hitomi's cheek and stained the pillow. “I'm so glad...” Weakly, her gaze shifted up to Noctis and the others. “You, the Crystal Bearer, please... Take this shard from me... I was finally...able to see what was in mother's heart... And I didn't...” A pitiful wry laugh escaped her. “I didn't even need this to see it...”

“Niveus...” came Noctis softly as the pale woman stepped forward. “Do you think you can remove it without harming her...?” All their effort within their minds, and it came down to this? It hardly felt fair to Noctis. Was there nothing they could do to change the fates of those bound to the shards? Was...was Niveus also tied to the same fate?

All she did was look back at the Prince. When her eyes met his, Noctis could tell that she was as uncertain as him. But still, she had to try.

“No! No, please! Just-just leave her alone now! Hitomi...! She...!”

“Mother...” The daughter squeezed Aya's hand as tightly as she could. “It's all right... This needs to be gotten rid of before I cause more trouble for anyone else... They...they all need to live their lives...and not live in the dreams I gave them... Mother...I love you so much...”

Niveus knelt down. Her necklace began to glow faintly, the shards within it calling out to the one bound to Hitomi. The shard that was still embedded in her forehead began to glow in answer, light slowly radiating from it. Unlike in the dreams, this light held a warmth to it. Fragments of light floated up from Hitomi's forehead over to Niveus' necklace. The phenomenon lasted only a few moments before it all faded away, the Crystal Shard no longer present on Hitomi's body.

“Hitomi... Hitomi...!” No matter how much Aya called out to her daughter...she would not answer... The cries of a mother who had just lost her child... Noctis could not imagine a more sorrowful sound. “Thank you...” she managed to choke out. Those words caught Noctis by surprise. “She...she was smiling in the end...” Wiping away her tears, Aya slowly rose. “If you'll excuse me...” Aya clamped her moth shut, as though afraid she would be unable to utter anything more coherent through her sorrow. Pushing past Noctis and his friends, she exited her house.

“She didn't deserve this...” muttered Noctis once Aya was gone.

“Which one?”

“Either...”

A cry of surprise escaped Niveus, causing all of them to look back at her. “What...is this?” Raising her hand, she wiped away beads of liquid that had begun to roll down her face.

“They're tears...” answered Ignis. Their bespectacled friend removed his glasses for a moment to clean them on the hem of his shirt. By his actions, Noctis knew that even Ignis was affected by what had just happened. They all were...

Niveus looked to her fingertips and the few drops of tears that rested on them. “Tears?”

“They can form when you're sad,” muttered Prompto, his head hanging sorrowfully.

“I...I don't like being sad...” Niveus choked out while wiping away more tears. Seeing her cry... It was not something Noctis had ever hoped to see from her. He opened his mouth to say anything when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Looking over, he felt his mouth become dry and a giant hand began to squeeze tightly around his chest.

“Let's get going,” he huffed, rather darkly. Lowering his head, he quickly turned on his heel and started to head for the door. He could hear his friends calling out to him, but he did not care. Seeing _that_ had ruined his mood completely. To be reminded of _it_ now and here of all places...

“Noctis!” A hand gripping onto his shoulder was all that eventually stopped the Prince. He wanted to leave. He wanted to move on. Why could they not let that happen? “You saw it again...didn't you?”

“Can we just go? ...Please...?” Ignis' hand slipped from his shoulder and Noctis was freed. Keeping his gaze lowered, Noctis focused on the ground before him and moving one foot ahead of the other.

“What...did he see?” asked Niveus softly. She stared after Noctis, confused over why he was acting like this so suddenly.

A long sigh escaped Ignis as he rubbed his neck. He wondered if he should be the one to tell her rather than Noctis explaining things. But, if there was anyone who would not press the matter, it was Niveus.

“He saw The Light.”

 


	14. Time

Warm rays of light quickly slipped away as the sun passed the horizon, being replaced by the cooler air of twilight. Despite the stillness of the land around them, something was definitely stirring in the town that lay ahead. For a rather remote place, it felt alive with such a bustle they had not seen for a while now. Even before they entered the town, Noctis got the sense that this was a rather peaceful place. It was nice...to be able to come across such a town. To make the town even more inviting, it was not just some town they were going to be spending the night in to rest—a Crystal Shard resided within, or at least close by.

Cobblestone streets were bright with all the lights that were strung up along the buildings. It did not take much to realize some sort of festival was being held. People still crowded the streets, regardless of the night slowly settling in. Not a single sombre face could be seen as they made their way into the town.

A shiver crawled up Noctis' spine the second they passed through the walls that marked the edge of the town. It had not been caused by coldness. In fact, the Prince was not sure what had caused the sudden shiver. Compared to previous ones he had been getting as of late, this one had been completely different. The reason behind it eluded him. The cause of the sensation was just...different; that was all he knew.

His brow furrowing, Noctis glanced back over his shoulder. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Granted, he was not too certain what “ordinary” was in this place, but nothing was jumping out at him as something that would be a cause for concern.

“Hey! Noct!” Drawn from his thoughts, Noctis looked towards Prompto and the others. The blond seemed rather excited to be in a town during a festival. His eyes hardly stayed locked on one location for long before drifting somewhere else, always searching for more. “What shall we check out first?”

For a moment, Noctis could only draw a blank. What was it they needed to be doing here again? Looking around, the people celebrating did seem rather inviting...and almost mesmerizing, as if watching them pushed all other thoughts from his mind. It was so...carefree...

“We get a room for the night,” answered Noctis after clearing his throat. Rest was the first thing they needed before they did anything else. Trekking through the wilderness of Zenn'thus did eventually take a toll on them, even if it was gradual.

“Let's just hope some place still has a room even  _ available _ ,” grunted Gladiolus. The tall man scratched his head absentmindedly as he glanced around. Even he seemed more interested in the festivities than the need for rest. All the lights... All the sounds... It was intoxicating.

“Whatever the outcome, I'm sure we'll be able to find some place to sleep while here.” Ignis was easily remaining the most detached. He was watching and studying what was going on around them, but that was all. The near-entrancement that the others had nearly fallen into had not taken a hold of him. Wanting to follow in his friend's footsteps, Noctis quickly shook his head in an attempt to clear it.

“Well, that won't happen by standing around and talking about it. Let's go.” Noctis took the lead in search for a nearby inn. He paused for a moment and glanced back over his shoulder, arching an eyebrow in the process. Following him at that moment was only Ignis. A simple look was all that was shared between the two before their bespectacled friend turned back around.

The cries of protest that suddenly came from Prompto brought the other two to their senses. Being pulled around by one's ear was never comfortable, and Prompto was finding that out for himself. His left ear was in Ignis' tight grip, and was not about to be set free any time soon. Most likely fearing that they would soon be feeling the same pain, Gladiolus and Niveus were quick to be on their way. It was only when they were all together again that Ignis released Prompto from his hold.

It did not take long, nor was it difficult, to locate the nearest inn. People they came across were helpful enough. They were quick to give directions before returning their attention to the events of the town. Once they found the nearest inn  and entered, it was almost eerily quiet inside compare to the energetic hustle and bustle of the streets.

“You're in luck! We have just enough rooms left to accommodate you,” informed the clerk when Ignis enquired about two rooms for the night. “Shame you made it here on the last night of the festival, though. It's really a lot of fun.” Her dark eyes darted over to the entrance of the inn, and the festival that lay outside. There was a wishful look across the woman's face as she handed over the keys needed for their rooms. Having to work inside the inn while the last of the town's festival was taking place was probably not sitting well with her, figured Noctis. “Well, enjoy your stay!” Forcing a smile back to her face, the clerk quickly bowed politely to them in farewell.

Despite Prompto's protests that they should spend some time at the festival rather than resting, Noctis and the others reached their designated rooms for the night. At least it was only his blond friend that was bugging them to go out and have fun. Rest, no matter how much Prompto tried to argue otherwise, was what they needed most right now.

 

* * *

 

The chiming of bells from the clock tower let him know it was now seven in the morning. Noctis continued to stare at the blank section of the wall across from him. As much as he had vouched for all of them getting a good night's rest, he himself did not have a pleasant sleep. Still his nightmares continued to infest his once pleasant dreams. They were back to the original nightmares that had started back when their Crystal shattered, not the gut-wrenching nightmares that had been caused by Hitomi's pain. As long as they continued, he would never feel well after waking. At least, on this past night, they were able to sleep in decent beds again. It had been several nights since their last stay at an inn, and a bed was always more comfortable than the ground where roots would often dig into his back no matter how he slept.

Pulling the blankets closer to him, the young Prince closed his eyes in an attempt to get a few more moments of peace before they set off searching for the shard. A part of him did not want to find it. Dread clung to his mind, acting as a sharp claw that would not let him out of its hold. It dug deeper and deeper, slowly scratching at the wall that defended his duty of restoring the Crystal. Ever since the matter with Hitomi's shard, Noctis feared sensing a shard that was inside a town. What if it turned out to be bound to another person? What if they had to repeat what they did to Hitomi? Those thoughts did not sit well with Noctis.

A grunt escaped him as he tugged the sheets away from his face. Around him, he could hear his friends beginning to stir. Already, he was jumping to conclusions. All he knew was that there was merely a shard here. That in itself was not enough to determine whether it was bound to a human or not. Matters would just have to be taken one step at a time. Brushing away the claw that still dug into his mind, Noctis shifted around so he could sit up.

_ Whack _ !

“Oh, geeze, didn't see you there, Noct!”

Holding a hand over his face as his head fell back to the pillow behind him, Noctis shot a glare at Prompto through his fingers. His eyes began to water slightly from the pain that rattled his head. Getting smacked across his face (mainly his nose) was never a pleasant sensation. The young blond was quick to scramble up and away in case Noctis decided to swiftly claim his revenge.

“Well, that's definitely one way to get woken up!” laughed Gladiolus heartily. Noctis quickly shot his scarred friend a glare as well before he pushed himself up from the bed. Though he did not want to admit it, his friend was right: he certainly was quite awake now. Never again did he hope to be woken up like that.

“C'mon, let's get going,” whined Prompto, being the first to finish getting ready. He seemed to be keeping his distance from Noctis for the time being. Whenever their eyes met, the Prince was sure to send a glare. The moment Prompto glanced away, an amused grin instead tugged at Noctis' lips. Making his friend have to watch his back for the next little while was revenge enough.

When the four of them were set, they quickly headed down the short distance between their room and Niveus'. It took no more than a minute between Ignis knocking on her door and having it opened to reveal the pale woman. When they had first set out with her all those weeks ago, her hastiness in meeting them at her door seemed odd. Now, it seemed odd if she did not answer them quickly. It was always the case wherever they slept—she seemed to be the last to fall asleep, but also the first to wake, Noctis had noticed.

“Are we off to find the shard?” she asked softly, her hand resting on the frame of her door.

“Yep!” Prompto grinned and slung his arms behind his head. “Off to collect yet another shard so we can be on our way, find another shard, collect that, find another, collect  _ that _ and so on and so forth for who knows how much longer...” A long sigh escaped him. He made no more attempts in hiding his feelings when it came to matters concerning the shards. If he was annoyed, he would let the others know...in his own quirky way, of course.

Closing the door behind her, Niveus joined their side as they headed out of the inn. It was just as empty in the morning as it had been the night before. Only once they stepped outside did things strike them as odd.

Stalls were set up along the streets. Various decorations were hung up between the buildings, some of the loosened balloons even rising up into the sky. The faint trickle of music that could be heard from where they stood was even enough to cause the kids that were out to dance with each other. Everyone else was enjoying the events that were taking place. Some who passed them by, seeing their confused faces, mentioned that they should enjoy the festival while they could.

“The festival... Is it the same one from last night?” asked Gladiolus, a rather confused look on his face.

“These guys must love partying it out...” mumbled Prompto. He glanced around, with a slight glint of yearning in his eyes.

“But...that woman said last night was the end of the festival.” Noctis furrowed his brow slightly at the information that had just been proven false. Not that it really mattered to him either way. It was just...odd.

“Perhaps she was mistaken?” Ignis calmly pushed up his glasses. Much like the night before, their bespectacled friend remained unaffected by the festivities.

“That's a pretty big mistake...” Prompto let out a quick snort. After cracking his fingers, the blond quickly spun around, grinning at Noctis. “Say, how 'bout we take the day off and join in the last bit of the festivities?”

Noctis blinked at his friend in mild surprise. He  _ still _ was going on about taking part in the festival? “Prompto, come on, think seriously for a minute here. We don't have time to take a day off.” Crossing his arms, the Prince let out a light huff.

“Come on  _ yourself _ , Noct. What good will it do us if we keep on pushing ourselves to the brink of exhaustion? Let's just relax for a day, take a breather. Everything will still be there for us to collect tomorrow. Who knows, we might even find the shard while we're enjoying the festival.”

“But...”

“Think about it, Noct. You need a break more than any of us. Ever since the matter with Hitomi and seeing The Light, you've been pushing yourself way too much. I know we have to hurry, but we won't be doing anyone any good if we burn ourselves out. Besides...we totally missed out on our Millennial, so I think we deserve to join in this festival to make up for it!”

A snort of a laugh escaped Noctis after a moment of silence. Covering his mouth quickly, the Prince silenced any other laughter that wanted to be heard. “So the real reason comes out at last...”

“Eh, what can I say?” Prompto shrugged helplessly, while an amused grin remained plastered on his face. “Getting to attend a Millennial isn't exactly something that people get to do every day. And we had to go and miss ours!”

He could resist no further. Scratching the back of his head, Noctis looked over to his other friends. “What do you guys say? Up for taking a day off?”

The question had barely hung in the air longer than a second before answers were mixed in. “You know, I'd nearly forgotten about our Millennial!” laughed Gladiolus. He clapped his hands together eagerly as he looked out across the town. “I think this will do us some much-needed good.”

“A single day of rest after all this time won't cause any great harm, I think.” Ignis nodded to himself. “Prompto's  right. We won't be helping anyone if we tire ourselves out too much.”

“Just what can one do at a...festival?” The word still being foreign to her, Niveus did not have as an easy time with it as the others did. All eyes fell back on her and saw just how entranced she had become by the festivities. Even if they did not need a break, Noctis noted, it might be a good idea to at least let her have a look around for the day, so the pale woman would not be so distracted while they searched for the shard.

A quick laugh came from Prompto. Swiftly, he took a hold of her arm. While a quick gasp of surprise escaped Niveus, it did not seem out of place to the others, for they had become used to such actions already. The small feeling of pity rose up in Noctis like the other times Prompto took advantage of a confused Niveus—which had become quite frequent. He would end up missing such things when all of this was over. Noctis swiftly ended up shaking his head when he realized his own thoughts. Prompto.  _ Prompto _ would be the one to miss having all the extra fun. That was what he meant...

“C'mon! We'll show you, Niv!” Taking the initiative, Prompto headed off to find the heart of the festival.

It was a simple celebration. There was nothing yet that stood out as too extravagant to Noctis. Small games that people could play were set up up and down the streets, along with some rides in the more open areas of the town. Stalls that people had set up to sell home-made items were scattered around, all of which had at least a couple people browsing the goods at any one time. Among the crafts, the most common ones seemed to be figurines or dolls of popular creatures, like the moogle and chocobo. The Prince found himself smiling slightly when he saw them. Since the same creatures were fairly common back in Domumna, it felt like a small shred of home was with him while travelling across this foreign land.

“Hm? What's this Noct? Looking for some earrings to match your princely tiara?”

“What? I-I mean no! Why did—Bah, don't say such ridiculous things.” Nocts let out a huff in annoyance at his friend's tease. He had been glancing over one of the stalls that was selling pieces of jewelry. It was not normally a place he would look at, but, in the slight chance someone had found the shard he sensed and was now trying to sell it, Noctis felt he at least had to look.

Much to his surprise, they managed to continue finding things to do throughout the day. Before long, night was already beginning to settle in. Even though darkness was falling over the town, people continued to celebrate along the brightly lit streets. Younger children may have gone back home, but plenty of people still kept the town looking lively. Small parades of people dancing moved along the larger streets, all of their bright clothing twirling around in the uniform movements.

_ Bang _ !

“Whoaa! Lookit that!” Crying out in partial surprise and glee, Prompto stopped dead in his tracks and pointed to the sky. Lights within the town dimmed, but the hints of a bright glow from high above could be seen falling across the structures. Finally looking up, Noctis could see flecks of light falling towards the ground. They glinted warmly until they faded into the darkened sky. They were gone only a few seconds before another  _ bang _ and several bright flashes lit up the sky. “Fireworks!”

A smile that he could no longer hold back spread across Noctis' face. Such a beautiful thing that was created from the same basic principles that humans used to develop firearms. Colour continued to rain down from the sky. The fragments of light came down so far that the Prince almost felt like he would be able to reach out and touch them. Each new shape that exploded caused cries of awe and wonder to rise up from the townspeople.

It was a fitting way to end the evening and the festival. For a short while, at least, Noctis was able to forget his troubles.

 

* * *

 

The wall was still blank when his eyes opened. Bells... The bells were chiming again, signalling once more the time of day as they did every hour. Noctis found himself sighing softly, wanting once more to have nothing but a few more moments of peace. But, he reminded himself, they had taken the entire day off yesterday. Now was time for them to find the shard so they could put this town behind them. Slowly, Noctis grumbled under his breath before pushing himself back up.

Pain shot through his face unexpectedly. Cursing, rather loudly, the young Prince fell back against the bed.

“Oh, geeze, didn't see you there, Noct!”

Muttering some more choice words under his breath, Noctis shot a glare once more from behind his fingers to his blond friend. It was official now. Revenge was going to be needed.

“Well, that's definitely one way to get woken up!” Pain was replaced with confusion. Blinking in surprise, Noctis pushed himself back up to stare at Gladiolus. Unless his memory was failing him, his scarred friend had said the exact same thing yesterday morning. Slowly rubbing his face to help relieve the pain, Noctis tried to hide the confusion on his face, but to no avail.

“C'mon, let's get going,” whined Prompto, having finished getting ready first once more. Still perplexed by what was going on, Noctis switched his confused gaze to his blond friend. In return, he got a look that said “what's that expression for?” which did not help matters.

“Fine,” huffed the Prince. If they were going to continue on with acting this way, he was not about to try and stop them. After Niveus joined up with them once more, in which case Noctis merely ignored Prompto's restatement of what he had said yesterday, the five of them headed back outside the near-empty inn. A gasp of surprise escaped Noctis when he saw the state the town was in.

“The festival... Is it the same one from last night?”

“These guys must love partying it out...”

“That's it!” Noctis had finally had enough. Clenching his hands into fists, he stared down his friends when they looked at him in surprise. “What is  _ with _ you guys today? You're just repeating yourselves from yesterday! And on top of that, why the hell is the festival still taking place?!”

“Perhaps she was mistaken?” offered Ignis. His solution, as it was the same one he had given the day before, only caused Noctis to become more annoyed.

“If that's the case, then  _ yesterday _ should have been the last day!”

“Noct, wha—”

“We did all of this already.  _ Yesterday _ . We took the day off to enjoy the last bit of the festival, so now we have to find the shard!”

“Are you sure you're okay?” Reaching out, Prompto placed a hand on Noctis' forehead. Quickly, the Prince frowned and swatted it away in annoyance. Pursing his lips together, the blond let out a light huff. “We just  _ got _ here  _ yesterday _ .”

It felt as though they had deserted him. Switching his gaze between his friends, Noctis looked for any sign of them believing his words. Nothing. Each of them stared back at him with their own sense of confusion. They...they truly did not remember the events of yesterday, the  _ true _ yesterday, occurring.

“Fine. You know what? Forget it. Just forget it.” Giving up, Noctis waved his hands to dismiss the matter. “You guys go do what you want.” One day of the festival was already more than enough for him. Right now, he just wanted to go lie down, and try to clear his head. Turning sharply on his heel, the young Prince headed back towards the inn.

“H-hey! Noct!”

Raising a hand, he waved at them to be on their way. Prompto's cries of protest were silenced as the inn door closed behind him. While it was odd that they did not remember yesterday's events, it was even more odd to still have the festival taking place. His brow furrowed deeply, Noctis climbed the stairs inside the inn two at a time. Once he reached their designated room, he gripped the door tightly as if to slam it, but, with a soft sigh, let it slowly swing shut instead.

“Why...?” he muttered under his breath, walking towards the window. Looking out across the town, he saw that the festival was just as lively today as it had been yesterday. Balloons still drifted up into the sky. Stalls, games, and rides were all still set up. Bright decorations continued to stand out against the buildings. “Why, why, why?” No matter how many times he asked, an answer was never there to follow.

“ So it was odd...” Noctis caught his breath when he heard the voice that came from across the room. “I was uncertain whether or not it was some prank you were all playing.” Turning around, he saw Niveus standing there, her pale gaze locked onto him.

“You... You found what they were saying to be odd too?” While he had first assumed her look of confusion earlier was due to his outburst, clearly he had been mistaken. Granted, her look had been the same as all previous times she had been confused by something, so it was hard to distinguish any difference.

“At first I thought Prompto was just...being Prompto...” Noctis could not help but feel the corner of his mouth twitch into a momentary smile. It was comforting, in a small way, to see that she was becoming used to their different personalities, and could now tell if one of them was acting like their true self or not. “But to have them not remember the festival from yesterday is...disconcerting. Prompto even went on to talk about the Millennial that you missed back home before they decided to go join in the festivities.”

“So you remember what happened yesterday too.” A wave of relief washed over Noctis as he licked his lips. At least he was able to no longer worry whether his sanity was in question. Still, the core question remained the same: “But why don't the others?”

“That I don't know. What should we do?”

Sitting down on the edge of a bed, Noctis laced his fingers together and stared at the floor. He wished right then that Ignis was with them, so he had someone else to help form some sort of plan. One wrong step, and things could be taken so far in the wrong direction that they would take too long in getting back...or they would be unable to get back. “We let today run its course.” Sighing, he still tossed the idea around in his mind, debating whether or not it was the best course for them to take. “If things are still odd tomorrow—if they still don't remember what really happened yesterday, or  _ today _ for that matter, then we'll figure out what to do on our own.”

 

* * *

 

Another morning, another sore face. Noctis let out a silent sigh in anger. Things were not taking off to a good start for the day.

“Oh, geeze, didn't see you there, Noct!”

The glare he sent to his blond friend could not be any more heated. If looks could kill, then Prompto would have been the next person to pass into the Underworld. His hopes for today being different were quickly snuffed out as Gladiolus once more said his poor attempt at a joke. Clenching his jaw, Noctis tried not to get too frustrated. Whatever was causing all of this was to blame, not his friends. But that did not stop his face from being sore for the next few minutes until they reached the side of the streets.

“The festival... Is it the same one from last night?”

“These guys must love partying it out...”

“Want to take the day off? Enjoy the festival? After all, we did miss our Millennial,” rattled off Noctis rather quickly. The others looked to him in surprise, and that caused the Prince to frown again.

“Seriously?” Prompto gawked at him. “You're fine with us having a little break time? What about all the stuff you were saying last night?”

Noctis let out a quiet, disappointed sigh. So the events from when they first arrived in the town truly still seemed like it had been yesterday to the others. Regaining his composure, he merely shrugged at his blond friend. “We won't be doing any one any good if we run ourselves into the ground.”

“Good enough for me!” A wide grin returned to Prompto's face. He raised his hand into the air as if to show he voted for Noctis' idea.

“Well, I'm not about to complain about getting a break.” A snort of a laugh escaped from Gladiolus. The scarred friend rubbed his neck as he looked out across the town, joy of getting to partake in the festivities glinting in his eyes.

“A rest would certainly do all of us some good.” Nodding firmly, Ignis' remark sealed the decision. Though, Noctis knew the matter would not be disputed due to the repeating of events.

“Well then, let's stop standing around talking about and actually get  _ going _ !” Grabbing a hold of Niveus' arm, Prompto was quick to take the lead.

Noctis cursed under his breath lightly as they all headed back off into the festival. He had hoped to try and get Niveus away from the others quietly so they could begin their search to find out what the cause of all of this was. Having Prompto be his normal self here was not helping. But, a full day was ahead of them, Noctis reminded himself, there was still plenty of time.

Everything in the festival was the same as it had been before. Nothing was different. Noctis was not too certain of the details, but everything flowed the same as it had the first day. Not a single person seemed to be aware of the previous days having all been the same.

Towards noon, Noctis managed to get Niveus and himself away from the others. Slipping down a different street, and making sure the crowds of people kept them hidden, the Prince pulled the pale woman along until he was certain that his friends would not find them.

“Okay...” Sighing, Noctis ran his hands through his hair. “Let's see what we can figure out. We need to find out why everyone doesn't seem to remember this day having already happened.”

“Perhaps something is affecting their memories?”

He cupped his chin in his hand as he thought that possibility over. As he was pondering, he saw a kid run by in the corner  of his vision, a balloon held tightly in her grip.

“No...” Blue eyes darted upward, and he realized what he hoped was a piece to the puzzle. “It can't be just their memories that are affected. See?” Raising a hand, he pointed to the balloons that continued to drift upward and away into the sky. “If it were just their memories, then everything would be running out. All the balloons that have been set up would be gone. The items that people are selling would be sold-out. Something...or someone...has to be affecting  _ everything _ inside this town.”

Returning his hand to his chin, Noctis stared at the cobblestone street as he tried to get his thoughts in order. Once more he wished Ignis were here to help them. There was a very good reason why he had become an adviser at such a young age, and, right now, Noctis needed him.  But, alas, he doubted even Ignis would be able to help so much as long as he believed Noctis to be insane when saying the day had already occurred. All he had was Niveus and himself.

“Wait...”

Niveus and he.

“That has to be it...!” Noctis wanted to smack his forehead for not having realized it sooner. “Here I was thinking we were going to have to get things back to normal before we found the shard, but we need to get the shard  _ to _ fix everything.” Turning around, he was met by a partially confused-looking Niveus. Her head was tilted ever so slightly in that familiar manner of hers. She had not been able to come to the same conclusion as Noctis. “It's not so much why everyone is forgetting that yesterday happened, but rather why  _ we're _ able to remember. We're connected to the Crystal. If it truly is a shard that's the cause behind this, then it must be why we're not being affected.” For the first time since Niveus joined them, Noctis actually felt  _ glad _ that she was bound to the Crystal now. Because of it, he was not left completely alone in this mess.

“You really think a shard would be capable to cause what's going on?”

Noctis sighed through his nose and rubbed his neck, thinking it over. He may have come to that conclusion, and rather hastily at that, but that did not necessarily mean it was the right one. Though he sensed a shard in the vicinity, there could still be something else at play.

“ I...I would have highly doubted it back when this whole journey to collect the shards began, but after seeing all the things they've been capable of, I do think it's at least possible.” His brow furrowed once more. One question may have been answered, but there were still many more that followed. “But how is it causing this?” Knowing that answers would not come to them by merely standing there, Noctis began to head back along the street, Niveus quickly keeping by his side.

Though they had made it into the town easily enough, Noctis now suspected them to be stuck. That feeling he had first gotten when they entered the town...it had to be related. And now they were trapped here, to be part of this continuous repetition of days. When one day ended, it started back up again, exactly the same. It was...endless.

This had to be, by far, one of the more powerful manifestations of a shard they had come across. And, because of that, Noctis was now wondering what it could possibly be bound to. Normally, when it found a fiend, that monster became twisted and perverse from not being able to handle the raw power of the Cr ystal. Their powers were multiplied so far that they no longer seemed a part of the fiend, but still the abilities held some connection to what they once had been. With that being the case, Noctis highly doubted that it was a fiend that was causing this, for there was none he could think of that could possibly hold a power that would then lead to being capable of causing this—that and there was no sign of a great and powerful fiend anywhere nearby.

An element of nature was even less likely to be the cause in his mind. Those were only created when a shard affected the area around it, the untamed power causing whatever was near to rise up and act as a defence and offence to keep the shard safe. As such, he quickly pushed that possibility aside.

More and more his thoughts were returning to the chance that this shard could be bound to another person. The idea made him sick to his stomach, and he tried to deny it for as long as he could. But, their past experience proved that the only other time they had ever seen a shard affecting so much at once was when it had been controlled by Hitomi. Was a person, for whatever reason, responsible for keeping everyone, and everything, stuck in this one day?

Bells chimed loudly, easily being heard over the noises stirred up during the festival, signalling that it was now noon. Noctis stopped moving, and stared up at the large clock tower that easily rose up above all other buildings in the town. The one ability that was powerful enough to cause all that was going on... It was the one force in the world that could not be contended with:

Time.

“Niveus?” Looking to his side, Noctis was a little surprised to not see her there. He did not have to search far for her, though, for she had simply wandered off to one of the nearby stalls. Sighing to himself, Noctis quickly headed over to the pale woman and pulled her away without bringing any unwanted attention upon them. “What do you think of the possibility that this shard is actually bound to a clock?”

Being bound to an object was rare (not as rare as coming across one that had been bound to a person, but rare nonetheless), and they had only come across such a thing a few times since they started collecting the shards. These, however, were some of the oddest, least predictable, and most difficult (in his opinion) to collect. It was as though the Crystal was teasing them, by having inanimate objects be the most difficult to defeat. However, Noctis would happily take that difficulty over losing another person's life.

“A clock?” she repeated, tilting her head slightly. Noctis let out a soft sigh. He knew full well that asking for her opinion was not quite as helpful as asking Ignis or the others would have been. Still he asked, largely to console himself into believing that he was not simply rushing from one idea to the next—that he was taking the time to confirm his theories with someone else. Niveus' pale eyes darted downward. He could tell by the slight furrow of her brow, and the small frown that tugged at the corners of her mouth that she was seriously considering his option to the best of her abilities. “Being bound to a clock may very well allow the shard to be able to control time... That would explain why all returns to how it was at the start of the day: it is resetting time. Memories, objects...everything is put back to how it was at the start of the day.”

Noctis quickly nodded in agreement. Glee nearly swelled up inside of him. Without any leading statements from him, she had come to the same conclusion. That still did not make it the true one, he reminded himself, but it certainly was at least something they could now act on.

“Let's try the clock tower.” Motioning her to follow, Noctis headed back on down the street.

“You think it's there?” The Prince stopped in his step, and ended up frowning. For a moment, he treated her question the same as he would have expected it to be from one of his friends: “You think it's there? What could possibly make you think  _ that _ ?” with skepticism laced evenly through the words. But, he realized as he glanced back to Niveus, that was not how she had said it at all. Like with her other questions, she simply wanted to know the answer to what she asked.

Noctis shrugged slightly. “It's as good a place to start as any.” For all they knew, the shard could be bound to some kitchen clock inside a person's home. The clock tower, he suspected, would at least be an easier place to look at first rather than breaking and entering into every private home in the town.

With a destination now in mind, the two of them set back off down the streets. Still Noctis kept an eye out for his friends. He was not really in the mood to explain to them what he and Niveus believed to be happening. At the very least, he hoped to find the cause of what had to be a time loop (be it the Crystal or not) before getting his friends involved. For now, he would have to figure things out all on his own. With but a glance over his shoulder, he reminded himself that he was not quite alone; not really.

Noctis stared up at the clock tower before them. Judging from how the structure looked compared to the rest of the buildings in the town, it had to be one of the first things built. Though preserved rather well, signs of aging could still be seen. The Prince continued to stare up at the towering structure as he slowly walked towards what he believed to be the entrance.

“I'm sorry, sir, but this area is off-limits.” Staggering for a moment, Noctis stopped just before he would have come into contact with the guard's outstretched hand. He blinked a few times, not having noticed the man to be there in the first place. Confusion then rose up in him instead, wondering why such a place was off-limits. He then glanced back up for a moment before looking back to the guard stationed in front of the entrance. With nothing more than a simple look, he asked why that was the case. “During the festival, the clock tower is closed to the public. If you're interested in seeing it, tours will resume tomorrow.”

Pursing his lips together in annoyance, Noctis curtly bowed his head before leaving. He was not much in the mood for wasting time trying to convince the guard to let them in. Ignis certainly could have put up a persuasive argument that would have ended in their favour. Gladiolus probably could have intimidated the guard, or even render him unconscious, allowing them entrance. Prompto most likely would have found some way to distract the guard so they could then sneak inside. Or, failing that, offer a bribe of sorts. While he could easily think up each separate scenario, Noctis knew that he would be unsuccessful in pulling them off by himself—save for bribing, but he was not about to waste money.

“What are we to do now?” asked Niveus, who had followed behind him without creating so much as a noise.

With a heavy sigh, Noctis turned back around once they rounded a corner of the clock tower. It was very cool as they stood within the short shadow cast by the tower. At a loss for how they should proceed, Noctis rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding having to give an answer. Thankfully, she did not press him for a response, and waited quietly. Taking a few steps back, Noctis peered up at the clock tower once again, wondering just how much they would have to explore if they managed to get inside. Slowly, his hand slipped from his neck. He had just figured out a way for them to get inside without anyone noticing.

“How much do you trust my ability to use the Crystal's powers?” he asked, not once taking his eye off the clock tower.

There was a slight moment of hesitation in Niveus' response. That did not come as a surprise to the Prince, as he was certain his question seemed rather odd. “I'm...not quite sure how I would rate it, but more so with each shard that is gathered.”

“Good.” Without asking, without informing her, or giving any other sort of warning, Noctis reached out and grabbed her arm firmly. Testing his theory would not do them any good. Just because it worked the first time did not mean it would work again when he returned for her. Success was needed on the first attempt.

Above them was a large window, one Noctis had barely been able to get a glimpse of the inside of the clock tower through. But that was just enough for his need to teleport. Quickly glancing around to make sure no one was paying any attention to them, the Prince closed his eyes and called out to the Crystal Shards again. This time, he had to be more careful than he usually was. Never before had he attempted to teleport  _ with _ someone else. Though the idea had crossed his mind multiple times before, he had always feared the consequences if things were to go wrong. While he did not know if it would even work or not, he figured his best chance for success was with Niveus, due to her connection with the Crystal. Thanks to that little fact, it might just be possible.

Niveus' noise of surprise was cut off as Noctis felt the power surround them. Solid ground slipped out from beneath his feet and the Prince felt them beginning to fall. A curse quickly escaped him when he opened his eyes and saw the staircase he had caught a glimpse of through the window in front them rather than under their feet. Reaching out with his free hand, Noctis tried to grasp onto the railing, but it slipped out of range too quickly. Perhaps teleporting with two people had to be treated differently compared to teleporting alone.

The sensation of falling took over his body. It felt odd. Never had the sensation filled him for so long. It was not that it was a foreign sensation, he had jumped from high places numerous times before, but all those times he knew that he was  _ safe _ . Now, the Crystal did not answer his call as he cried out to it to allow them to teleport one more time to fix everything. It was like playing with dice—it was all still chance. Nothing was certain as long as the Crystal remained shattered.

His entire body ached. It groaned in protest, not wanting to move in the slightest as Noctis tried to prop himself up. The pain he had felt the past few mornings from being hit by Prompto was nothing compared to what he now felt after having impacted the ground. Everything was blurry for a few moments as he looked around to try and gather his bearings. It was much darker than he expected, but the place being closed to the public during the festival might have played a part in that.

“Niveus?” He coughed. “Niveus, are you—”

“I'm all right,” she groaned, coming from farther away from him than he had expected. “You?”

“I've been better...” Noctis' body cried out in pain as he managed, with some difficulty, to stand. For a few seconds, it felt like the ground was swaying back and forth as he tried to steady himself. Looking around, he tried to see if anyone was coming to their location through the darkness—they had made a fair amount of noise with their crash-landing. With them not having been discovered, he switched his gaze upward. The darkness above them was diffused by a few scattered lights that were dimly lit, and the sunlight that trickled in through the windows. Up was the only way for them to go now. Slowly, partially due to the darkness and his body still being sore, Noctis headed for the base of the stairs, Niveus soon joining his side.

Up and up they climbed. With there being nothing to make them deviate from the path they were on, they were able to make good time. When they passed by the railing that had been before them when Noctis had first teleported inside the clock tower, he gave it a deep frown, despite knowing that would not change a thing. It felt good to vent a bit of his frustration from that blunder.

The higher they went, the louder the noise from the clock's mechanics became. It was like a heartbeat. Steady. Strong. It was almost eerie how much that noise made the place feel alive. Gears continued to rotate, forever measuring the passage of time.

Darkness began to recede. Natural light slowly took over as the windows became larger. Craning his head back, Noctis peered up at the inside of the clock's face. Each second ticked by smoothly, never once losing the proper pace.

The staircase finally ended and they were able to spread out some more. Wide beams acted as bridges to span the distance across the building. Ladders, that looked much more rickety than Noctis would have preferred, led up to higher levels and platforms, so that each part of the clock could be reached for maintenance or repairs. As he studied the parts of the clock, a gasp suddenly escaped Noctis.

Glinting in a path of light, the Prince saw a substance caked onto a section of the clock's insides like rust, yet it appeared to be crystal. Not far from what he first saw was more of the crystal-like substance. The more he looked, the more he saw. It was as though it had spread out from a single point. Even without seeing the source, he knew what it had to be: the Crystal Shard.

A laugh of surprise and relief escaped Noctis. Perhaps they could be on their way much sooner than he expected. Motioning Niveus to follow, Noctis plotted out a quick route across the panels, ladders, and platforms that would take them to the source of the substance. She remained silent as she followed behind him carefully, and Noctis did not feel like breaking the silence between them. So close. It was  _ right there _ .

Helping the pale woman onto the same platform that he was on, Noctis looked over his shoulder. Before them was the source of the problem. The crystalline substance had completely encompassed one of the gears. It was almost beautiful, with how it glinted in the light. Specks of dust that floated by only added to the silent beauty of the manifestation.

“How do we claim it back?” Noctis was pulled from his thoughts by Niveus' quiet question. He looked back at her, and then to the shard that hung from her neck. Much to his dismay, it was not glowing. But, things had hardly been so easy for them up until now, why should that change?

He shrugged helplessly. “I have no idea. But, we should try  _ something _ while here.” With Niveus staying by his side, they slowly headed towards the mass of the crystalline substance. Wood creaked under their feet, and for a moment, Noctis wondered if he would be able to teleport them to safety if they were to fall. Learning to teleport two people successfully was not exactly something he wanted to practice when their lives were on the line.

A resonating hum from the Crystal filled his ears the closer they got. Soon it became the dominant noise he heard, rather than that created by the gears moving to measure time. It grew louder and louder. Noctis winced from the noise. This should not be. It became so loud that he could no longer stand the noise. Falling to his knees, he barely registered that Niveus had also succumbed to the hum. Why? Why was it doing this? Peering up, Noctis tried to reach out to the substance, to touch it, only...

_ Whack! _

“Oh, geeze, didn't see you there, Noct!”

Pain rattled Noctis' face once more, but he merely clenched his jaw and silently took it. So close.  _ So close _ ! They had been so close to the shard. Just a little further and he was certain they would have had it. Bells finished chiming, and Noctis glared. Unlike the previous mornings, his hatred and annoyance was not sent to his blond friend, but rather towards the unseen clock tower. Though there had appeared to be no form of defence around the crystalline substance, it clearly had some tricks still that could be used in desperation. Before the day had ended, it had managed to reset time once again. Everything was set back to the way it had been.

The Prince remained lying on the bed as Gladiolus said his joke yet again and the others started getting ready. Getting this shard back was going to be rather difficult, he suspected. Perhaps they merely had to sneak up on it somehow. Though, sneaking up on an inanimate object...he was not quite sure just how they would pull that off. At least now the source of the town's troubles was known, and they knew where the Crystal Shard was.

“All right, here's what's going on,” started Noctis once they were all back outside in the fresh air. His friends turned around, each of them giving him their own confused look. The Prince let out a sigh, not expecting this to go so well for him. Even after all they had been through together, the idea of being stuck in one day in time would most likely still be hard to accept. “We're all stuck in some sort of time loop.”

“Just how hard did I  _ hit _ you, Noct?” questioned Prompto. Noctis let out another sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. His assumption for his blond friend being the hardest one to convince was not looking to be wrong.

“A time loop?” asked Gladiolus, doubt hanging heavily from his words. “Is that even  _ possible _ ?”

“Is it being caused by the Crystal?” Blinking himself, Noctis looked to his bespectacled friend. While he had hoped he would be the easiest to convince, as long as he explained matters well enough, Noctis had not thought his friend would figure things out so quickly. Then again, it  _ was _ Ignis.

After pushing past his moment of surprise, Noctis quickly nodded. “That's what Niveus and I figured, and were even able to confirm.”

“ _ When _ did you guys find that out?” If Prompto were to hold his look of confusion for any longer, Noctis was certain his face would become stuck like that. “We only just got here last night!”

“Time loop, Prompto... Think about it for a second.”

“If we are truly stuck in some sort of time loop, then Noctis and Niveus could have had days, even weeks already, to figure things out.”

Noctis' mood lightened, and he felt the corner of his mouth tugging in a smile. It was nice not having to explain as much as he feared he was going to have to. It was definitely good this was not the first shard they had to collect, or else he knew it would have been much harder for them to come to accept.

“Why am I already getting a headache over this?” Shaking his head, Prompto rubbed his temples.

“So where is this Crystal Shard?” asked Ignis, ignoring the blond.

“We found it yesterday. Today... I don't know what you guys want to call it.” The Prince threw up his hands in defeat over that matter. While it was yesterday for Niveus and himself, it was still today for the others. In fact, if time were truly resetting, then all events might still considered today, whereas yesterday would still be the day they had arrived... Noctis' brow scrunched up the more he tried to figure out the best answer, and it was starting to give him a headache. Whether it was right or not, he would continue to count previous loops as previous days. “It's connected to the clock tower.”

“You guys found out that much but didn't get the shard?” Noctis ended up pursing his lips together in annoyance at Gladiolus' question. He might have been younger than his scarred friend, but that did not mean he needed to be treated like a kid when he was unsuccessful.

“We were stopped before we were able to,” answered Niveus softly. Whatever had made her come forward and answer, Noctis was thankful for. “It must have been some sort of last-defence of the shard. The time was reset prematurely.”

Gladiolus let out a long sigh as he cracked his knuckles. “A fight against time... Never thought I would be taking that saying so seriously.”

“Well, at least if we fail, it should only get easier, right?”

“That actually  _ won't _ be the case here.” Ignis peered over at Prompto from behind the rims of his glasses. “We won't remember anything. If this loop is allowed to happen again, we won't even remember having this conversation.” When the bespectacled man looked back at Noctis, it was as though a whole new weight was placed upon him. As though the pressure from having to restore their Crystal was not already making his shoulders sore... “It will be up to you two to remember. You will be the ones to learn from our mistakes.”

“Right. Already figured that...” muttered Noctis after swallowing nervously. He glanced over at Niveus, who continued to stand there quietly. If she was unsettled by the prospect, she was not showing it.

“How 'bout we don't screw it up this time. That sound good?” Clapping his hands together, Prompto looked to the dark-haired Prince eagerly. Noctis could only wince when he thought about what was to come. With having no idea yet just how to claim the shard, he could only foresee much trial and error in their future. And each time, he would have to explain to them what happened again. Not to mention, he was still getting hit each morning, and that was something he wanted to cease as soon as possible.

“Lead the way, Noct.”

Without wasting another second, the Prince headed off down the streets that were still filled with joyous people oblivious to what was really going on. Whenever time was finally set right, just how would they react to it? If the time loop had begun when their Crystal shattered, that would mean they had been stuck reliving the same day for over two months now. But, to them, it was just one day. What would happen when their time caught back up to real time? Over two months of events would be unaccounted for. But, Noctis reminded himself, that was not really something he should be worrying about.

Glancing up every now and then to get his bearings, the Prince pushed onward towards the clock tower. It was very useful to have the structure be quite a bit taller than any of the buildings near it, for it made it rather easy to get back to its side.

“We're not going in the main entrance?” questioned Prompto when Noctis stopped where he and Niveus had been the day before. He tried to make sure they were all as close to the wall as they could be, hoping fewer people would take notice to them that way. Peering up through the high window, Noctis was glad he had been able to gather a glimpse of the inside of the clock tower yesterday, for, with how the lighting was now, he could not see inside at all.

“A guard's there since the clock tower's off-limits during the festival,” answered Noctis, somewhat absentmindedly. He tried to bring back the image of inside the clock tower back to his mind. It was going to be needed if he wanted to be the least bit successful.

“Then how are we gonna get in?” Sniffing in light disapproval of his friend's lack of imagination, Noctis looked back down and gave Prompto a rather flat stare. It did not take long for his unsaid answer to become apparent to Prompto. As soon as he figured it out, the blond's eyes went wide. “What? No. No way! You've never done it before, and that was back when you had full control of your abilities! And now you expect us to try it when doing the simplest things with the Crystal is still a gamble?”

Noctis only shrugged. Prompto's fears were valid enough, but that did not change it from being the main option they had. If successful, it would draw the least amount of attention to them, which is what they wanted. “It worked yesterday.”

“Oh yeah, and how did that turn out for you?” Turning around, Prompto focused his attention on Niveus, who quickly shuffled her feet. Noctis shot her a pleading look, and she caught it.

“We...got inside...” she answered, nodding once done. Prompto narrowed his eyes at her slightly, but she said no more. It was the truth, just not the entire truth. His friends did not need to know of his miscalculation resulting in them falling several long feet to the hard floor. Noctis was positive, now that he knew what the inside of the clock tower looked like, he could get them safely inside. Or, at the very least, not have them fall to the floor and break a limb on the landing.

“Stop being such a wuss, Prompto, and just get over it.” Gladiolus barked out a laugh and shoved the blond towards Noctis.

Huffing, the blond rounded on their scarred friend. “Yes, because I'm a wuss for thinking of what could go wrong here, huh? I'm not exactly ready to fall to my death, or to be teleported  _ inside _ a bloody wall!”

“That's not going to happen,” sighed Noctis, taking a hold of Prompto's arm.

“And another thing... Why am  _ I _ going first?!”

“So we don't have to keep listening to your whining. Good luck, Noct!”

“Wait, wait! Can't we do something else? Like sneak inside or offer a bribe to the gua—” Prompto's words were cut off as Noctis managed to whisk them both away with the power of the Crystal. Reaching out the second they reappeared, Noctis readied himself in case things had gone wrong again. But, it was not needed. He and Prompto only fell a few inches before their feet landed soundly on the ground, which was well within his range of a successful teleport.

A sigh of relief escaped Noctis. One jump had gone well, now he could only hope that the others would be okay. Without a word to Prompto, Noctis closed his eyes and sought the power of the Crystal again. While his friends only had to teleport once, he had to teleport a total of seven times to move them all inside. The chances of something going wrong to him was much higher.

Light poured down on him as he appeared back outside the clock tower. Two jumps down...

“Everything go okay?” asked Ignis, pushing up his glasses. Though hidden behind his lenses, Noctis knew that his bespectacled friend was wearing a slightly surprised expression.

“So far so good.” Reaching out, he took a hold of Ignis' arm and repeated the steps to teleport. He was left inside with Prompto while Noctis whisked himself away to get Gladiolus next.

“Is this going to be done each time we need to get to the shard?” pondered Niveus when she was the only one to remain, tilting her head slightly as Noctis took her arm.

He paused for a moment. That thought had not yet crossed his mind. If they were unsuccessful in claiming the shard this time, they were just going to have to go through all of this again. Every single teleport was a gamble, and he had no idea how many times he would end up going through with it.

“Then let's get that shard back sooner rather than later.” Closing his eyes, Noctis called upon the power of the Crystal once more that day. In the amount of time it took to blink, the two of them disappeared. Once inside, the faces of his friends were right there to greet them.

“Man, Noct, couldn't you have dropped us off higher up?” Prompto craned his head back, looking up the winding staircase that led to the inner workings of the clock.

“And risk the chance of falling down all that way if something were to go wrong?”

A nervous chuckle trickled from the blond. “Right... Last one there's a rotten egg!” Slinging his shotgun over his shoulder, Prompto bolted for the stairs. It was as though he had no more fear of falling to the ground. With a sigh, Noctis quickly followed, the others not far behind. The morning light was able to illuminate the inside of the clock tower better than the noon light had yesterday. With it, Noctis felt more sure with his footing, and was able to move faster as well.

“So that's the shard?” Gesturing with his ax, Gladiolus pointed up to the crystalline substance that was caked along the gears and other parts of the clock. While he could not be certain, Noctis suspected that it had spread further out from yesterday.

“As sure as I can be...”

“Good enough for me!” Not seeming to care about the near-precarious state of the platforms and ladders, Gladiolus hurried along them to reach the densest part of the substance. Prompto was next to move, his competitive side easily provoked by their scarred friend. As much as Noctis would have preferred to try something a bit more subtle, at this time, rushing into a fight could very well have as much success as trying to plan some sort of ambush.

It did not take long to get onto the same level as the heart of the crystalline substance. Noctis hurried forward, only a few feet behind Gladiolus now, while Prompto lingered behind to ready his shotgun. Humming. The humming noise had returned. The closer they got to it, the louder it became.

“ _ No _ !” cried out Noctis as he and Gladiolus slowed from the pain it caused them. Though he was once again only a few feet away, he reached out his hand towards the crystalline substance. If he could just reach it...

 

* * *

 

“Last one there's a rotten egg!”

“Wait! Wait just a second!” Hurrying forward, Noctis managed to get in front of Prompto and held out his hands, gesturing for all of them to slow down. “That's not gonna work.”

“What? How could you know that?”

“Time loop...” sighed Ignis.

Gladiolus slung his axe across his shoulders, arching an eyebrow in Noctis' direction. “How should we go about this then?”

Pursing his lips together, Noctis cast his eyes towards the ground. Part of him felt like he had failed his friends. Here he was meant to learn from their mistakes with each loop, yet he had been unable to think of a plan that would work. “I really don't know. The past six times, we've tried something new, and each time, we're sent back to the start of the day.”

“ _ Really _ ?”

“Yes, really,” sighed Noctis. He was drawn to his limits with how many loops he had been through already. Teleporting each of them every day did not help his nerves in the slightest (thankfully, each had been successful, save for the unexpected drop he and Prompto took one time). Each day they were stuck here meant another day lost in finding the next shard. It had been over a week already, and he did not like how long it was taking. “I can't figure out what to do differently to keep it from resetting the day...”

“Is it a matter of proximity?”

“What?” Noctis blinked towards his bespectacled friend. It was the first time he had asked such a question.

“Does the Crystal reset time because one of us has gotten too close?”

“Ah...maybe... But...” Licking his lips, Noctis tried to remember where each of them had been during the previous loops. It was relatively hard for him to judge, for he was not exactly going around and measuring their distances each time. “It's always been different.” His brow furrowed in confusion. Nothing seemed to be the answer they were looking for. “The closest anyone's gotten was Prompto a couple loops back. He had been mere inches away.

“Yeah, that's right, leave it to me to get the closest.” Smirking slightly, Prompto slung his hands behind his head.

“Has there ever been someone a consistent distance away each time it restarted the day?” Ignis pressed onward for more information, completely ignoring their friend's remark.

Noctis blinked. He had not considered that. Each loop, the one that was closest to the crystalline substance had been different. However... “Me...” he breathed out when he realized it. “Or Niveus.” Swallowing, he glanced over to the pale woman. While she had never once been in front of him, she had been right by his side during a couple of the loops. With that being the case, he could not rule her out completely.

“Then I think you two should stay back during this loop.”

“ _ What _ ?” blurted out Prompto, his arms quickly falling back to his sides. “And lose more manpower?” Sighing, he gave a helpless shrug. “Oh, who am I kidding. He probably wouldn't have brought that much to the fight anyway.”

“Hey!”

“Be that as it may,” continued Ignis after letting out a light cough, “we can't risk the shard resetting the day yet again. If it restarts the day because of you or Niveus, we shall find out during this loop.”

Nodding in agreement, Noctis proceeded to fiddle with one of his gloves. After a moment, he looked back up to his friends. All of them were still there. “So? You guys gonna get going, or what?” A smirk tugged at his upper lip. It felt kind of nice, to be able to sit this loop out to some extent. Prompto shot Noctis a look that only made his smirk widen. Tapping his shotgun back to his shoulder, the blond headed off for the stairs.

“You better save our asses if we start to plummet to our death though!” he shouted once he, Ignis, and Gladiolus were up a few levels.

A quick laugh escaped Noctis before he cupped his hands around his mouth. “No promises! You know I can't control my abilities that well!”

From above, Prompto waved his hand in Noctis' direction to dismiss the matter. Focusing his attention back on the stairway before them, he bounded up the steps at least two at a time. It was not long before they saw the crystalline substance that coated the gears and cogs of the clock. Such a simple looking thing was giving them all this trouble? He let out a huff in disbelief before climbing up the final ladder.

“What's the plan?” questioned Gladiolus, bringing his axe forward.

Smirking, Prompto aimed his shotgun towards the dense cluster of the crystalline substance. “Win.”

_ Bang _ !

The noise from his shotgun rang through the air. For a brief moment, it crossed his mind that he should consider finding something to act as some sort of silencer. Even this high up, there was a chance his weapon might draw some unwanted attention. His shot hit its target, and the bullets pierced into the crystalline substance. Suddenly, it began to glow, and he knew they were on the right track.

“Watch out!” Prompto's eyes went wide as Gladiolus' axe came swinging down, a mere few inches away from his face. The gush of wind caused from the attack was cool against his skin. There was a  _ clank _ followed by some crystal fragments bouncing away.

“Looks like it has more than just time to use as a defence,” remarked Ignis, conjuring a fire spell before them.

“Good!” Gladiolus let out a loud bark of a laugh. Brandishing his ax, he kept his gaze searching for any more of the loose fragments. “Least then that means we can have some fun this time around!”

Another  _ bang _ rattled through the air as Prompto fired again. This time, after his bullets hit their target, fire engulfed the substance. For a moment, Prompto began to think this might actually be an easy fight as long as they kept their distance, but then...

“ _ Whoa _ !” Diving to the side, he barely got out of the way of an attack directed at him. A tendril of the crystalline substance had peeled away from the gears of the clock and had shot out towards him. Splinters and larger pieces of wood flew up around the impact zone. He hated to think what that would have done to him had he stayed in that place. Crystals formed on the platform around the area of impact, slowly spreading out. “Can we hurry this up, please?” he grunted, pushing himself up to stand.

Gladiolus continued to protect him and Ignis from the projectile fragments. They rushed by faster than bullets, and Prompto, knowing full well the power of firearms, did not want to find out how much damage they could deal. Before he could get another shot in at the crystalline substance (though he was not quite sure if his attacks were actually doing any good), a hum began to rise up in the air.

“Is that coming from the Crystal?” pondered Prompto aloud. He began to wince. The hum was not only in the air, but it resonated loudly within his mind. He managed to spare a glance towards the crystalline substance. The heart of it all was glowing much brighter than it had been before. “We need to finish this!” He grunted against the pain the noise was beginning to cause. Though it still felt like one day to him, he knew quite well that they would not hear the end of it from Noctis if it was allowed to continue on much longer.

Staggering forward, Gladiolus brought his axe high above him. Quick to act, Prompto switched his attacks to the various projectiles and tendrils that were seeking to attack their scarred friend. Even Ignis' flames soon erupted near Gladiolus, and added to his defence. A cry of pain escaped Prompto, and he dropped his shotgun. Too much. The noise was too much for him to handle any more.

But then, all of a sudden...it stopped.

Breathing heavily, Prompto managed to stand upright once again. Before them, across the platform, was Gladiolus at the end, his axe sliced cleanly through the densest part of the crystalline substance. Likewise, their scarred friend was breathing heavily. With a loud grunt, he managed to pull his axe back. Flecks of the substance broke off, floating away with the dust that lingered in the air. Cracks spread along the substance, more and more pieces slowly breaking off. They faded into the air, as though they had never existed in the first place. All but one.

Rather than lingering in the air, the single shard that remained began to move slowly towards the bottom level of the clock tower. A weak laugh escaped Prompto as he picked up his shotgun. “I think we did a pretty good job without Princey Boy.”

Down below, Noctis continued to pace back and forth while Niveus had ended up sitting on the ground as they waited. Each fire of Prompto's shotgun had caused the Prince to grow nervous. It did not help when he heard the familiar hum rise up in the air. But, unlike before, it had stopped, and they remained on the same day. Had they succeeded?

“Look!” Rising, Niveus pointed upward. Following to where she gestured, Noctis saw a glinting light float steadily down towards them. It glinted as it passed through a few rays of sunlight. A long breath of relief escaped him. The Crystal Shard. When it got close enough, Niveus' necklace glowed, and the shard was absorbed to rest along with the others. It would remain safely there until all were collected. “Why haven't the others come down yet?” There was a hint of concern in her words.

“Well, either they're badly injured and can't get down, or they're ju—”

“ _ You could at least get your ass up here and help us down, you lazy Prince _ !” came the faint remnant of a shout from above.

His mouth forming a thin line, Noctis closed his eyes and nodded to himself. A wry chuckle escaped him, not surprised in the least to hear that statement. When he opened his eyes, he saw Niveus' head was tilted slightly, most likely confused by what he had found amusing. “They're fine.”

 

* * *

 

Leaning back in his chair, Noctis stared at the drink before him. They had now spent around a month on the eastern continent, and he was beginning to wonder when they would see home again. What would their home even look like now?

“So, Noct, where to next?”

Quickly casting his gaze back down, Noctis brought his drink to his lips and took a long sip, draining most of the liquid. It was not hard to tell that he was avoiding the question. He had a fairly good reason for doing so, he just did not want to share that reason with the others yet.

“Yo, Noct, spill it. Where's the next shard at?”

Keeping his cup by his lips, Noctis mumbled into it, “I'unno...”

“What?” asked Prompto dryly.

Noctis sighed. He could not keep avoiding the matter forever. Placing down his drink, he looked to each of his friends. After licking his lips nervously, he gathered back his will so he could tell them and get the matter over with. “I don't know.” Helpless, his gaze drifted back downwards. “I can't... I can't sense any more shards here...”

“You mean we have them all? We can go ba—”

“No,” sighed the Prince, cutting his friend short. He did not want to get any of their hopes up. “We can't go home since we don't have all the shards yet.”

“But, you ju—”

“He said he can't sense any more here, not that we have them all,” commented Ignis, saving Noctis from having to do so himself.

Gladiolus shifted in his seat, resting his elbows on the table they were gathered around. “You really can't sense any more?”

Pursing his lips together, Noctis tried to think of the best way to explain it. As he did, he slowly traced a finger around the rim of his cup. Explaining matters that dealt with his connection to the Crystal was never something he found easy to do. “They're there, somewhere, just not  _ here _ ...”

“You know, you have a real gift when it comes to vague explanations,” drolled Prompto, resting his chin on the back of his hand. Noctis was quick to give his friend a flat stare.

“Perhaps...” started Ignis, tapping a finger to his chin in thought. The others all looked to him, waiting to hear what great idea he had managed to come up with now. “Perhaps the remaining shards are now in a place that the Crystal is connected to...”

Prompto threw up his hands. “What is this? Unspecific Information Day?

Narrowing his eyes, Noctis met Ignis' gaze straight on without backing down. If his memory served him correctly, then their bespectacled friend could only be referring to one place. “No. No way.”

“And why not?”

“Because it's just not  _ possible _ !”

Ignis continued to peer sternly at the Prince as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “You've said so yourself that they are connected, albeit in a small way.”

“Wait, you mean  _ there _ ?” interrupted Prompto, his hands hitting the table rather loudly. “Have you lost your mind, Ignis?”

“If Noctis no longer senses any more shards  _ here _ then it warrants as much consideration as anywhere else.”

Sinking into his chair as Prompto and Ignis began to argue, Noctis began to seriously consider the option. Never in all his life did he think he would ever want to try and get to  _ that _ place. But, he knew best of all that it was the only place left that was remotely connected to the Crystal. And by remote, he meant  _ extremely _ remote. Others believed them to be closely intertwined, but he knew better. He knew the truth. He had known the truth for many years...

“Just...what is this place you speak of?” Niveus' soft question drew the Prince from his thoughts.

Licking his lips and swallowing to try and bring moisture back to his dry throat, Noctis was the one to answer: “The Underworld.”

 


	15. Fortune

The word felt ridiculous to say, let alone to be considered as a valid possibility. The Underworld... They truly must be in great desperation to even think of trying to get to the land of the dead. It had barely been a week since they collected the shard that had caused the time loop, and already they had to resort to this? Noctis stared back down at what remained of his drink. He did not much like the idea of trying to travel to the Underworld. What he liked even less was that he was now contemplating the entire idea. Was it even going to be possible?

“The Underworld. I think you'd be fired from your job if anyone back home heard you _advising_ that.” Prompto gave a rather disapproving sniff. He was the least accepting of the entire idea.

Normally, Noctis would have been right beside Prompto in this matter, but their need was dire. He had no explanation for his inability to sense any more shards. Even when they had to cross the vast ocean to find more shards, he could still sense them. But, now, there was only the remnant of those last remaining shards—an echo of their presence left behind. Where had they gone?

“Has it really come to this? We're considering going to a place that may exist only myths and legends?” Gladiolus let out an unamused huff as he crossed his arms. Like Prompto, he did not readily concede to the notion of trying to reach the Underworld.

“It exists. There's no doubt about that...” muttered Noctis, tapping a finger against the side of his cup. He had known for a long time that the Underworld existed, as did anyone who could see The Light. “The Goddess Etro shall open the Gate and welcome the souls of the dead. When that occurs, a bright light shall shine down through the skies over the dead. And those few who see that light shall be bestowed with the strength from the land of the dead.” With a soft sigh, Noctis finished quoting the old legend. The legend was known by nearly all across the world, but only those that could see The Light knew how true it was. Looking up from his cup, Noctis peered at his scarred friend. “The Underworld is there, though most can't see it until the end.”

Gladiolus broke his gaze from Noctis, no longer able to hold his own under the Prince's near-sombre stare. From the look that had been hidden in Gladiolus' eyes, Noctis knew that his friend had been reminded of the event that led the Prince to be able to see The Light. A long sigh escaped him as he looked to his other friends. They were all reminded of it as well. Noctis caught Niveus' gaze for a second, the one person with them who did not know why he could see The Light. At least, when he looked at her, he did not have to recall that time. For a moment, he was allowed to forget once more.

“Just how would we _get_ to the Underworld, then?” asked Gladiolus, shifting in his chair. “It's not exactly some place we can just catch a ride to.”

“Are you kidding? Getting there's the easy part,” snorted Prompto. “It's getting _back_ that's difficult. In case you haven't noticed, there aren't exactly a lot of recently deceased people walking around.”

“So are you offering to lead the way for us?” A deadly smirk crossed Gladiolus' visage.

Quickly, Prompto threw up his hands to stop that topic from going any further. “Nope! No! No way!”

“We'll have to be careful,” stated Ignis. Resting his elbows on the table, he laced his fingers together, and a deep, pensive crease formed on his forehead. “Don't forget about the legends of ancient heroes that have travelled to the Underworld.”

“So we can just ask them? Oh, wait, that's right, they're _dead_.”

Ignis' eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “If it has been done before, then it can be done again.”

“The Gates,” muttered Noctis, trying to remember the various legends. They were not as helpful as he would have liked; many of them were so vague. But, there was at least one part that was consistent between them: “The Gates of the Underworld. If we find the Gates, we might find our way in.”

“Passage to Etro's domain... The land of the dead... The place from which the Destroyers received their power...” Her voice still quiet, Niveus' words barely rose above the noise around them. She stared almost blankly ahead, not focusing on anything in particular. A hand rose up and gripped the shard that still hung from around her neck. Noctis felt a pang of regret hit him in his gut. He had forgotten about what they had learned recently on their journey, the revealed relation between those that fought with The Light and the Crystal...

“Great, so we're considering going into _enemy_ territory?” Gladiolus was quick to hush Prompto. He was beginning to voice his thoughts a little too loudly for the restaurant of the inn.

“Not necessarily.” Tapping his fingertips to his lips, Ignis' pensive look did not go away. Noctis could almost hear the gears in his mind churning. “The Crystal was frightened of the _Obruo_ , not The Light itself. As Vacua informed us, they are merely weapons. The Light, Etro, and the Underworld may not be enemies of the Crystal.”

“All right, maybe that's the case, or maybe not. But why the hell did the shards even _go_ to the Underworld? Tell me the reason in _that_!”

“There is none,” muttered Noctis. “The shards went to...wherever they could. If there was anything that could make it to the Underworld with such ease, it would be the Crystal.”

A long sigh escaped Prompto before he let his head fall on the table. “Are we seriously gonna be going through with this crazy plan?”

“Actually, in light of some of our more recent plans, I would say this is starting to look rather normal.” A slightly twisted grin tugged at the corner of Ignis' mouth. Noctis frowned slightly when he noticed it. Their bespectacled friend could find the oddest of things amusing sometimes. “Either way, we shall have to gather more information before we can continue on, be it to the Underworld or not.” Sighing, Ignis sat up straighter in his chair, the pensive lines on his forehead finally vanishing. “Now, who knows where we'll even _find_ the information we need, but we might as well start here.”

“So you folks are after some information, huh?” A hand came past Noctis' shoulder and took his empty cup, nearly making him jump in surprise. Looking up, he saw the waiter that had attended them at their table. He glanced over the five of them, slowly slipping around the chairs to take all the empty cups. “Sorry, couldn't help but hear the last bit of your conversation. While there are plenty a' people who know stuff in this city, you might want to go see Madame Akemi. She's a fortune teller, and a real damn good on at that. Though, there is one thing you should know of...”

“And what is that?” enquired Ignis, arching an eyebrow.

Their waiter seemed to hesitate a moment, his eyes darting over Noctis and his friends one more time. “She...only does readings for couples...”

“What the hell kind of condition is that? And if that's the case, then why the hell would we go to her for information?” questioned Prompto, letting his unamused gaze fall onto the waiter.

“Because there's none better than her.” The waiter gave Prompto a rather disapproving glance. “If you ask the right questions, then you should get the information you want. Not like you have to go see her, though. Just thought you guys might like to know. There anything else you guys need?”

Noctis shook his head. “No, we're done here.” After the Prince paid for their meals, the waiter dipped his head in thanks and took his leave.

“A fortune teller? Seriously?” Prompto ran his hands through his blond hair before standing like the rest.

“If we were to split up, it wouldn't hurt to have someone at least see what she has to say,” figured Ignis. “We have as much a chance getting the information we need from her as anyone else.”

“But that guy said she only dealt with cou—oh, wait...”

Noctis' brow, which had been furrowed, swiftly rose in surprise. Their situation only then fully dawned upon the Prince at his friend's remark. In near unison with his friends, Noctis' gaze switched to Niveus as they started to leave the inn. The pale woman, who had, until that point, not fully comprehended their situation, faltered in her step when four sets of eyes fell upon her. Without them saying anything, she seemed to understand the predicament she had wound up in, and was already becoming rather flustered at the thought.

“Well, I'd go, but I think it would be hard to convince this Akemi if I were the one to show up with Niveus.” Gladiolus shrugged as they stepped out into the fresh air. Noctis sent him a skeptic look. He did not seem to be the least bit disheartened with not being the one to visit Madame Akemi.

“While I am fine with the idea, I think I'd be a better use to our time here if I searched for information elsewhere.” Nodding to himself, Ignis stood a bit straighter. He had an air of confidence about him, challenging anyone in his own way to dare argue his decision.

A wicked grin came across Prompto's face as he switched his gaze over to Noctis. That look... Noctis knew far too well it meant he was in for some trouble. “Looks like you're our man, Noct!”

“W-what?” blurted out Noctis as his blond friend pulled him into a headlock. “How come you're not going to do it?” Noctis had fully expected Prompto to be the one to volunteer. Out of the four of them, he seemed to enjoy having Niveus around the most. Perhaps that was mostly due to the fact she was someone new he could joke with, but that did not change things. With some difficulty, the Prince managed to squirm out of Prompto's hold on him.

“Because while I'd be more than happy to do it, it'd be _waaaaaay_ more amusing to have you be the one.” That grin. Noctis wanted to smack it off his friend's face right then.

“But, I-I'm your Prince!” he hissed back quietly, starting to get rather flustered himself. He rarely ever used the authority of his lineage with his friends to either avoid doing something himself, or making them do something for him, but he did not know what else to do. It was one of the great things he loved about being with his friends: he did not feel like a member of the royal family. With them, he could just be himself. As such, making them treat him like a Prince was rather contradictory to his wishes. “You can't make me do this!”

“Ah, your forgetting one itsy-bitsy thing, Noct!” Prompto's laugh literally sent chills up Noctis' spine. “Other people can't find out who you really are! That bit with Saul was bad enough. We have to treat you just like any other com-mon-er. No special dispensation for yoooouuuu.” The blond was finding too much glee in the matter for Noctis' liking.

“Why me...?” Noctis muttered, helplessly looking at the ground.

“Sorry, but someone's gotta do it!” With a push from behind, Noctis was sent stumbling several feet forward. When he managed to look up, he saw that Prompto had shoved him in the direction of the pale woman. Straightening, he tried to smooth down the creases that had formed in his coat. A wave of shyness crashed over him, and he felt his mouth become extremely dry. Honestly, of all the times...

“Good luck, Noct!”

“We'll meet up with you two later.”

Swivelling around quickly, Noctis looked back in time to see his friends, quite literally, desert him. His mouth gaped open as he tried to call out to them, to make them stop, to have them come back, but only an odd noise escaped instead. Gone. They were...gone.

“Guys...” he pleaded quietly, knowing full well that he could not be heard by them. Feeling helpless once again, he let out a sigh as his shoulders fell.

“What...exactly is it we have to do?” asked the soft voice from behind. Despite the matter at hand having to deal with her specifically, no one had discussed anything with Niveus. In a way, she, too, had been deserted.

Realizing that he was not completely alone, Noctis stood straight once more. After clearing his throat, he turned to face Niveus. It could have been worse, right? The Prince blinked slowly to himself. At that moment, he could not think of exactly how it could be worse, but he still stood by his conclusion.

“We're the ones that have to go see this Madame Akemi.” With a frustrated sigh, Noctis ran his hands through his dark hair. They did not even know where to find this woman... His blue eyes darted around for a moment.

The city they were in was somewhat small (especially when compared to Noctis' home), but it was still very grand in its own way. Built into the sides of a ravine, there were many different levels that made up the place known as Iwago. Craning his head back, Noctis stared up at the highest levels, and the mountains that lay in the distance. Slowly his gaze travelled down, trying to etch the various routes that could be taken into his mind. Rope bridges spanned the vast distances between the opposing sides of the ravine, allowing for easier access to the many areas. So much time and effort had to have been put into making the city what it was today.

“And...what is this 'couple' thing that was mentioned?”

Turning his back to the pale woman, Noctis promptly tried to hide how flustered he had become. That was the question he had been dreading to answer. It was not so much just a matter of the question itself, but rather he did not feel like explaining that little detail to her. That little answer...she could be informed of it once her memory has returned.

“Ju-just follow my lead when we get there,” he muttered, not even bothering to glance over his shoulder. At least he would not have to deal with that necessity until they found Madame Akemi. Even then...perhaps there was some way he would be able to work around it.

Walking over to the edge of the level they were on, Noctis stared down to the many levels that were still beneath them. Unless Madame Akemi was located the same tier they were currently on, he suspected it would still take a while to reach her. After pursing his lips together, the Prince looked back to Niveus. The pale woman remained where she had been standing the entire time, waiting to help accomplish what was needed to be done.

With a sigh, Noctis quickly looked back away. As a Prince, he was required to deal with dignitaries and their relatives at various events that were held back home. It had always been something he loathed doing. Being forced into this by his friends, it was like being forced to attend those various events and put on a facade in a way for everyone...only, for some reason he could not place, this was about ten times worse.

Merely motioning for Niveus to follow, Noctis headed down the sidewalk. Keeping an eye out, Noctis looked for anyone who appeared to be local rather than someone who was visiting Iwago. It was not too hard to tell visitors apart from locals—the visitors seemed to be the ones who were often entranced by the construction of the city, or slightly afraid of wandering too close to the edge of the level, despite the railings. The locals were, not surprisingly, much more comfortable in their surroundings.

“Thanks.” With a curt nod, Noctis walked away from the person he had just asked for directions from. Thankfully, whoever this Madame Akemi really was, she was at least a well-known resident. Finding out where it was she lived did not take up much time. With a nervous swallow, Noctis stopped a few feet from one of the bridges that connected the sides of the ravine. The fortune teller was on the opposing side of where they were stationed, and as such, they were going to have to cross sooner or later. Those bridges...they continued to sway, the degree depending on how long the bridge was. It did not look to be the most secure of ways to connect the sides at first glance.

“Something wrong?” Niveus asked, coming up by his side.

Keeping his mouth shut tight, Noctis shook his head a bit too fervently. He took in a deep breath before releasing it slowly. As he looked down the length of the bridge before them that was barely wide enough to allow two people abreast to walk along, he felt himself feeling somewhat uncertain, and much more nervous. It was not the height he was afraid of. On the contrary. He quite enjoyed heights, like those atop buildings. They had always been a place he could go to be alone. With the power of the Crystal on his side, getting to hard-to-reach places away from everybody else was something he could do without breaking a sweat.

But the rope bridge before them was not a secure rooftop. Nor was it even a sturdy airship. It did not appear to be much of a secure _anything_. Noctis sniffed in disapproval as he studied the bridge some more, trying to postpone the inevitable of having to cross the swaying structure. Had it been like the vast bridges they had back home, built from cement and strong cables and were meant to withstand the tests of nature and time, he suspected he would not have hesitated to cross. But... Even with a fair amount of his powers returned, he still did not run head-first into situations like he once did. If something were to happen while crossing, the Crystal could answer him...or it could not. It was still too much of a gamble.

Quickly, the Prince looked over the edge to count just how many levels it was to the bottom. He frowned. Too many. Heading all the way to the ground via the stairs and then climbing back up the other side would waste too much time. If Madame Akemi did not give them any information they wanted, or even bothered to _see_ them, then they would have to continue searching elsewhere. For that, time was needed.

“Are...you okay?”

Noctis blinked and looked over towards Niveus. He had taken a bit too long merely standing there. Clearing his throat, the Prince stood taller, held his shoulders back, and started towards the bridge. “Fine. Just...thinking...” he muttered, passing her by.

Keeping his gaze on the far end of the bridge, the blue-eyed man continued to put one foot in front of the other. Planks of wood creaked beneath him as he started along the simple structure. He made sure to keep his head held high and focused on that one place he had to get to. More creaking rose up behind him and he knew Niveus was not too far behind. Part of him wanted to reach out and grab onto the rope beside him that helped suspend the bridge and acted as a railing, but he restrained himself from doing so. Though, as they neared the center of the bridge and it became much more windy, it became much harder to restrain himself.

As the far end of the bridge neared, Noctis picked up his pace carefully. Only once his feet landed on the sturdy platform for the opposing level did he feel safe once again. He let out a quiet sigh as he quickly continued along to get more distance between himself and the bridge. The inhabitants of Iwago should come up with a better way to travel between the sides of the ravine, he figured. At least his friends did not have to see how he nearly froze up at the idea of crossing. And, as far as he was concerned, they were never going to find out.

With Niveus back at his side, the Prince weaved his way by the people travelling through the city. It only took a few flights of stairs to reach the level where Madame Akemi was meant to be located. Peering up, Noctis kept an eye out for the sign he was told would let them know where the fortune teller was. It really was not hard to spot. Deep and vibrant colours stood out from the stores either side of hers. And the sign, which consisted of her name above a stylized design of an eye, made it even easier to locate.

A woman sat beneath the canopy of fabric stretched out, enjoying the shade it provided. Slowly rocking backing back and forth on a rocking chair, she puffed at a long, slender pipe. When he got close enough, Noctis saw it was though it had been crafted to fit perfectly in her grip. Yards of fabric draped over her form and the chair, with metals and gems that glinted in the light dangling from various spots. Streaks of gray and white mixed with her long ebony hair. A wrinkled face that held kindness and wisdom looked up at the Prince, causing him to somehow feel relaxed and apprehensive at the same time.

“Are you Madame Akemi?” he asked, stopping just before he would have crossed into her shade.

Her eyes crinkled ever so slightly, hinting at the hidden smile that had formed. “That is what people call me now, yes.”

Noctis' brow furrowed. There was no time to ask her what she meant by that. “Would you be able to do a reading? For us?”

Dark eyes shifted from the Prince towards Niveus. Picking up the subtle change in Madame Akemi's expression, he reached out, being careful not to move too fast, and grasped Niveus' hand, pulling her closer to him. It was taking much more strength than he would have liked to keep his expression looking normal as he tried to ensure Madame Akemi saw them as a couple.

As a Prince, dating was not something he could do leisurely as others might have. He had been made aware of eligible women, sure, but he had never been a “couple” with any of them. This experience was...rather foreign to him. It really would have been much better had one of the others gone with Niveus to see Madame Akemi instead of himself. But, as he glanced across to Niveus, he realized that he should not have been so worried about his own acting, but rather hers.

She was just so...stiff. Standing close to Noctis, the pale woman appeared even more unnatural in this situation than he did. _Any_ of them would have had a hard time convincing Akemi of being a couple with Niveus.

Tugging on her hand slightly, Noctis tried to pull her closer to him. She merely leaned in his direction minutely as a result. Resisting the urge to purse his lips together in annoyance, Noctis looked back to Akemi, hoping that was going to be enough, for he was pretty sure he was not going to be able to get any more from Niveus without making it completely obvious to the fortune teller that they were not together. He really should have taken a moment to explain at least a few things to the pale woman once he had spotted the fortune teller's place, but, once again, he had rushed into things.

Madame Akemi let out a puff of smoke before switching her pipe to the other side of her mouth. Noctis could only wonder if that was a good or bad sign for them. “I'm afraid you've caught me at a bad time, you see, for today,s my break day. Come see me tomorrow.”

“Could you make an exception, please? This is rather important for us, and we most likely won't be here tomorrow.” He had not crossed that bridge, and pretended to be a couple with Niveus, to back down now. They would see if this fortune teller was really all she was made to be.

“Important, you say?” She took a long draft from her pipe before breathing it back out. Her dark eyes studied Noctis for what felt like an unnaturally long amount of time. Somehow, he managed to hold his own under the fortune teller's gaze. “Follow me.” Rising, Madame Akemi tapped out the contents of her pipe before stashing it somewhere within her long sleeves.

Only when she turned her back to them did Noctis let out a soft sigh in relief again that day. Dropping Niveus' hand from his, he followed after Madame Akemi into her building. A wall of strong fragrances hit Noctis as soon as he entered. They were completely foreign to him—scents he had never smelled before in his life. While interesting, they were beginning to irritate his senses slightly. He would definitely not be staying inside longer than was needed.

“Please, take a seat.” Gesturing to the chairs around a small round table, Madame Akemi moved around the room and lit several candles. “Your names?”

“Noctis and Niveus.” The Prince arched an eyebrow at the table before them as Niveus and he took their seats. If the fortune teller pulled out a crystal ball to use, he was in his right mind to get up and leave. The insides of a bag rattled together as it was placed on the table. That was definitely not a crystal ball. From its shape and size, Noctis could only wonder what was inside the bag as Madame Akemi took a seat across from them.

“So, what is it you need my skills to foresee?”

Noctis shifted in his seat slightly, becoming uncomfortable under her searching gaze. Between her and the fragrances, he was not too sure he would be able to put up being inside the building. “We're...travelling... And we were wondering if...you could tell us where we're meant to go.”

Eyebrows rose. “Really now? This was so _important_ that you had to disturb me on my day off?”

Surprised by how dark her voice had become, the Prince nearly sank down in his chair. But he would not back down. Not now. Clenching his hands into fists against his legs so he would not snap out in desperation, he took in a calming breath. “It _is_ important. You have no idea just how vital it is...to us...” he added after briefly glancing towards Niveus. He was not entirely sure if Madame Akemi believed them to be a couple or not, but he was not about to test that theory now.

“How important to you is it then?”

A huff of frustration escaped Noctis. He was not enjoying having to explain matters in such a vague matter. Leaving out details such as the restoration of their Crystal to save his home and people did remove a certain sense of urgency. Whether she was able to see the truth behind his words, though, was a different matter. “It... It's...” The Prince licked his lips as he tried to think of the best way to explain it so that the crucial side of their journey could be conveyed.

A hands rose to stop him before he could even continue. “Let's hear something from Niveus.” That caused Noctis to become nervous.

Beside him, the pale woman clasped her hands together tightly on her lap as she glanced down. Thoughts ran through his head so quickly that it nearly gave him a headache. Would she be able to give an answer on her own? Would she know to say nothing of their true purpose and where they were from? How could he let her know what to say without Madame Akemi finding out? How could he get them—

“It's a matter of life and death.” Noctis blinked in surprise at Niveus' statement, his train of thoughts coming to a halt. “It's all that matters to us now. If we don't know where we are headed, we will be lost forever...”

He swiftly closed his mouth as he looked back to Madame Akemi, not knowing when it had fallen open. While a perhaps bit more over-dramatic than he would have preferred, Niveus' explanation was as close to perfect as he could have hoped.

A smile broke out across Madame Akemi's thin lips. “Good.”

Noctis sat back against his chair, realizing only then how tense he had become. Whatever Madame Akemi had been looking for in them, she had found it. A weathered hand reached out to grab the bag that had been placed on the table. In a fluid motion, she loosened the twine that bound it, and let the contents topple out.

Bones.

Shapes of varying sizes fell to the table. Some rolled. Some bounced. Some barely moved. Each fell and found its own place to rest. Just by glancing at them, Noctis was not certain just what animals or monsters they had come from, but he was sure they had been of formidable size. Knuckle bones, like the ones that lay before him, could only come from larger fiends. Out of the various ways they could have had their fortune told, Noctis had not suspected it to be from a bone reading.

Noctis glanced up to Madame Akemi, watching her expression rather than focusing on the bones himself. To him, they meant nothing. But, her reaction to them did. For the most part, there was nothing on her face to give him any inclination to their fortune, until...

“You say you would be lost without this reading?” Madame Akemi's voice was quiet, and, if Noctis was not mistaken, contained a hint of fear. He only answered in the affirmative. When she looked up, the Prince was shocked at how sunken her dark eyes suddenly looked. “Then I suggest that you stay lost.”

His voice caught momentarily in his throat. Was their future really so bad they should stop now? That could not be. “Please, tell us,” begged Noctis, leaning forward. “We have to know.”

Dark eyes met his blue ones. She wanted him to look away. She wanted him to back down. She him wanted to leave now and forget the future that remained untold. All that, he could tell from her gaze. Despite her silent pleads, Noctis would not turn and run. He had to know what their future held, no matter how unfortunate it might turn out to be.

“If you head down this path, only death awaits you.” Madame Akemi's voice nearly choked. Judging from her reaction to their fortune, Noctis suspected that she did not read ones like this very often. “Far to the east is where you will reach your end. Gates will open, beckoning you to the land that lies in the shadow of this one. Souls of the past will rise to your presence.” Her eyes darted back down to study the stones once more. “It is in that realm that your fate shall be decided. Beyond that...I cannot read what your future holds...”

Noctis tried his best to comprehend the information. It was simple, telling him a lot, and yet nearly nothing at the same time. But, a fortune it was all the same. And, with it, they might have just gotten the information they had required. Rising, Noctis reached for one of his pouches so that he could pay Madame Akemi for her service.

“No.” Raising a hand, she gestured for him to stop. “For a fortune like this, I could not possibly accept payment.”

“All right...” He was not about to complain. Though it had not been the most comforting of fortunes, he still felt compensation was needed. Having completed what they set out to do, Noctis and Niveus headed back for the entrance.

“Wait, just, one more thing,” called out Madame Akemi,who remained seated at the table.

“What is it?” Noctis looked over his shoulder. The fortune teller seemed hesitant. Her eyes darted back down to the bones once more before nodding to herself.

“Normally, when I consult the bones, I get a combination of the future for the two in question. But for you...” Concerned, the dark eyes settled on Niveus. Noctis saw her adjust herself nervously. That fortune teller's gaze was enough to unsettle almost anyone. “You... There was no future for you.” Madame Akemi looked as though all the life had drained from her. So distraught...and yet she had only done the reading, she was not the one to find out she had no future. Shaken, she placed a hand on the table. “There was nothing. Absolutely nothing... I...I've never seen that before in _any_ reading. What it means, I do not know. But...I thought you should be aware of it.” Eyes almost sunken, Madame Akemi glanced back to Noctis. It had been a long time since he had seen such regret from a person. “For the first time, I pray that the future I foresaw is wrong... I can only hope that there is some way for you to change it.”  
Noctis opened his mouth, but nothing came out, and he quickly shut it. How was he supposed to respond? He could think of nothing that would suffice. Though he wanted to, at the very least, say a thank you, the Prince knew his heart would not be in it. How could it be after what they had been told? All he did was bow his head respectively towards Madame Akemi, and allowed Niveus and himself out.  
The clean air was refreshing and reviving. No longer was his head so stuffed up due to the fragrances inside Madame Akemi's place. He could once again think clearly. And there was now plenty for him to think about. Where would he even begin?  
“No future...” mumbled Niveus, walking a few slow steps forward. Noctis could only bring himself to watch her silently. Even that much felt a challenge after hearing what Madame Akemi had told them. Niveus seemed, once again, completely withdrawn and silent. What progress she had made over the last three months had been lost in no more than a few moments. “And no past.” She brought her hands before her and clasped them together firmly. From her knuckles nearly turning white, Noctis knew she was distraught, but he did not understand how much so until she turned around. A pang of sympathy ran through him, second to only when he had seen her cry over Hitomi.  
Pain. Confusion. Loss. Her expression conveyed all those feelings and more at once. Seeing her seem so... _human_ , it tore at him more than he had ever imagined possible.  
“What does that make me...?”  
“Niveus...” Unable to say anything further, Noctis cast his eyes away. He could not bear to look at her any longer. He wanted to comfort her in some way, really, but there...there was no answer he could come up with that would do her any justice. To have no memorable past was one thing, but to be told there was no future as well... He could not begin to imagine what that was like. All of her problems had been caused by the Crystal. Pursing his lips together, Noctis felt a foul taste rise in his mouth. For the first time since he could remember, he _resented_ the Crystal...and it nearly made him sick. So much trouble and inconvenience... He could now fully see why Prompto was so frustrated over the whole ordeal.  
Hesitantly, he looked back to Niveus. The pale woman had since cast her gaze back down. The initial shock from the information seemed to have ebbed away, but he could tell that she was still not quite herself. No past, and no future... Both had been caused from the Crystal. It had taken her past from her. Would it give her memories and who she was back when it was restored? They still did not know. As for her future... While Noctis did not put the blame for that on Crystal alone, it played a large factor. If not for it, then he would not see such an unfavourable outcome for Niveus once they reached home. Whether that was what Madame Akemi meant when she saw no future for Niveus, he was not certain, but it was what he believed. Once restored and returned, she would have no future. That made her present all the more important.  
“You...” he began, a partial answer forming in his mind. He did not know if it would be enough for her, but he had to try. Upon hearing him, Niveus tilted her head back up. “You're...you...” Noctis licked his lips nervously. Judging from her expression, he could tell that was not enough of an answer. It had only made her more confused. “You may have no known past at the moment, or no future—whatever the hell it was Akemi meant by _that_ anyway—but that doesn't stop you from being...who you are...right...now...” His voice slowly trailed off as he felt himself becoming more flustered. He was not so skilled at comforting people (not even his closest of friends at the best of times) with words, especially when they were looking _right_ at him. Now was no different. To help hide his embarrassment, Noctis promptly looked anywhere but at her. “Or, y'know...something...along those lines...” He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.  
Silence. Well, it was not exact silence, for the noises of the city and the people about them still filled the air, but there was silence between him and Niveus now. That silence was what he focused on. Having her recede back into the shell of a person she was when they first met would not be useful to any of them right now. He only hoped he had managed to keep that from happening.  
“So...what should we do now?”  
Noctis blinked. When he looked back to Niveus, relief flowed over him. Gone was that expression of pained confusion. Most of it, anyway. Some still lingered behind, but that he could understand. Back was the look of expectancy and curiosity that she had come to wear like a second skin. To see that expression again, it was a good sign. Huffing lightly, he crossed his arms and thought. Part of him considered reaching into one of his pouches, pulling out his cellphone, and calling Ignis. They had seen Madame Akemi and had gotten a fortune; they had done their part in searching for information. Why should they not meet up with his other friends now? They could be looking for more information, and they would only end up splitting off into smaller groups to gather more if he returned to them now. It would probably be better if he and Niveus merely searched around a little more, if only to get another perspective on matters. Or, instead, they could...  
“Let's take a break.” Pursing his lips together, Noctis took another look around Iwago. There was certainly much for them to see in the city. It would be very easy to simply relax and take some of it in. When his eyes fell back on Niveus, her confused look said more than a few words could. “Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus all got several days break back during that festival while we didn't. So, I think we deserve a little breather, especially after what we've been told.” Leaning back a little more, Noctis adjusted his posture so he was no longer so tense. Any hint to his royal stature was erased. For now, he was just one more person enjoying the marvel of Iwago.  
“Do we have time for a break?”  
Noctis blew at some of his bangs that had fallen annoyingly in front of his vision. Part of his mind was telling him to say no, that there was not time enough for a break. Now that they had information, they should quickly meet back up with his friends and be on their way. They had lost enough days thanks to the time loop, and there was no sense in wasting any more hours. That is what his duty-bound side believed, anyway. But, then again, as long as his friends were still trying to gather information, who was to say they could not take a little break? As long as he and Niveus presented it as them having spent all the time at Madame Akemi's, then his friends would never know the difference.  
He smirked victoriously. “Yeah, we got time.” Slipping off his gloves, he tucked them securely into his belt. To have enough time for a break was a rare thing for him to acquire. Bound to his role in society, Noctis was always doing _something_. Even the parties and gatherings he had to attend were not considered a break by his definition. Meeting with dignitaries and presenting a strong image for the Caelum dynasty was not his idea of a fun time. Those few minutes he could steal for himself became all the more precious because of his cramped schedule. In a way, this journey to collect the shards, though a mission he had been given, had allowed him more freedom in the past three months than he had gotten in the past three years.  
Allowing himself to relax even further, Noctis started back down the walkway. Without looking, he knew Niveus was soon by his side. They allowed themselves to meander along. Iwago was a bustling commercial city. Shops sold all sorts of merchandise. Even Noctis was amazed at the variety of goods. Despite now being on a break, he still did not allow himself to buy anything he deemed unnecessary, which was almost everything. He made a mental note to, whenever conditions allowed (largely whenever the cold war may end) that he return here to enjoy all of Zenn'thus properly.  
The farther down they travelled, the fewer shops there were. Noctis took a look back up at the many tiers that towered above them. It seemed that the more commercial part of the city resided on the higher levels, while homes and residential areas took up the lower sections. The density of people walking around also lessened the closer to the ground level they got. This area was left for the inhabitants of Iwago, not the visitors that wanted to browse local goods. Not to mention, the levels were also much wider, allowing more room for people to travel across. It was much calmer down here, and Noctis liked that.  
“What is that music?” pondered Niveus not long after they had reached the ground level. Blue eyes flashed towards the pale woman momentarily. She slowly craned her head around, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. For a few seconds, Noctis did not know of what she spoke, until the trickle of instruments met his ears. Like a siren's song, he began to feel drawn towards it. His feet took him in the direction of the faint music, Niveus trailing after him like a white shadow.  
Not far off in the distance, he could see a crowd of people huddling together. That seemed to be the source of the music. Coming up from behind, he managed to find a large enough gap that allowed both of them a clear view through the crowd. A small stage was set up, just high enough to make the performers easier to view. Several of the performers were musicians, each playing a different instrument. Most of them, Noctis could name, but there were a couple that the Prince did not know what to call. Singers made up the rest of the performers, their voices mixing with the instruments to create a wonderful melody.  
All too soon, the voices stopped, and the music was followed by silence. To help fill that emptiness, the crowd that had gathered applauded. Up on the stage, the performers bowed before someone else switched with the singers and stepped to the front. As the applauds died down, notes from a single instrument arose into the air. As the others joined in to meld their sounds perfectly with the first, so too did the solo singer add her voice in telling the story of the song.  
Silently, Noctis listened to the lyrics. The hauntingly beautiful song slowly piqued his interest. The story told in the lyrics was that of The Light and the Underworld itself. Of sadness. Of death. Of the pain felt by those left behind. Of the journey towards the Gates...and beyond.  
The Prince's chest began to tighten the further into the song they got. For a time long ago, he had been amazed by The Light, found it wonderful even. But then all of that had changed. Ever since that eventful night, he had resented it. He had come to despise The Light, and nearly forsook the Goddess Etro completely. Yet this song... It brought back memories of the days when he believed The Light to be a marvelous thing. When he, too, believed it to be a blessing rather than the curse he now took it for. As the song plucked at his very heartstrings, he began to wonder if he was so mistaken... Could some of the good he once thought to be there still remain?  
Only when the song ended did it release him from its grasp. Applauds rose once more, but, so lost in his thoughts and feelings, Noctis could not bring himself to join in. Before another song could start, he grabbed Niveus' hand and pulled her away from the performers. He wanted to get away, to forget it, at least for now. If The Light were truly an enemy to the Crystal, he could not begin to doubt himself. If that were the case, then they had to hurry to the Underworld and save the shards from the land of the dead.  
“What exactly _is_ The Light?” questioned Niveus. Only once they were far enough away to no longer hear the music from the performers did Noctis slow down. He looked back at the white-haired woman, his mind slowly clearing. She tilted her head at him like she always did, that innocent curiosity shining behind her pale eyes.  
“The Light...” he began momentarily, still trying to get his thoughts back in order. As his gaze travelled down in thought, he saw that he had still a hold of Niveus' hand. Swiftly, he let it fall from his. Clearing his throat, Noctis attempted to start again. “No one knows for certain what The Light is. All—”  
_Ring ring_. _Ring ring_.  
The noise caused Noctis to draw a momentary blank. It took a few seconds after being cut-off to realize it was his cellphone that had sounded. Sighing softly, he reached into one of his pouches and pulled out the black device.  
“Hello?” he asked into the mouthpiece after starting the call.  
_“Noctis, did you and Niveus manage to find Madame Akemi?”_ came Ignis' voice over the other end. Noctis raised a hand to place over his other ear. The signal was not so good in the area, and so it was hard to hear his friend.  
“Yeah, we found her.” Quickly, his eyes darted up towards the level the fortune teller resided on. “Just finished with her a few moments ago, actually.” It was not the truth, but it was the version he would be sticking to when telling his friends about it.  
_“Did she manage to give any useful information?”_  
“Maybe...” Noctis ran over the fortune she had told them in his mind again, making sure he had not forgotten any of it. His eyes drifted onto Niveus, who was once again engaged in simply soaking in the sights of the city. Finding out she had no future... That was not a part of the fortune his friends had to know about. “I'll let you know when we meet back up. What about you guys? Find anything we can use?”  
_“_ _I think so. But whether we can use it or not, it's all we managed to get while asking people. Meet us back at the entrance of the inn.”_  
“All right. We'll be a bit, though.” His blue eyes darted back up to the level where the inn was built. From here, it looked very far away. A silent groan escaped him. It was the downside from having come all the way to the ground level. Though, at least now he did not have to take one of the precarious rope bridges to reach the other side of the ravine. At ground level, both sides were connected. “Madame Akemi's place was pretty far down...” Once again, it was not the truth, but rather what he would only tell his friends.  
_“_ _Enjoy the walk. I don't think I've noticed any elevators or any other way to get between levels other than the stairs...”_  
“Huh...” The mouthpiece of the cellphone slipping farther away from his mouth, Noctis peered out across Iwago. Just as Ignis had noted, there did not appear to be any other connection between levels other than the stairways that spotted along the tiers. What was a long walk down would be a fairly long walk back up. Sighing, the Prince looked all the way to the top of Iwago. The entrance and exit to the city were located there, after all. “They really should look into that... See you soon.” Pulling his cellphone away from his ear, Noctis swiftly ended the call. He placed the device back in his pouch before looking towards Niveus. “C'mon, the others will be waiting back at the inn.”  
Pulling his gloves back snugly onto to his hands, Noctis started for the nearest staircase. It definitely felt much longer going up rather than taking them down. But still, up through the levels they climbed until they finally reached where the inn lay. The walkways were crowded once again, and Noctis kept glancing over his shoulder to make sure Niveus did not get lost behind.  
“Hurry it up, Noct!” shouted Prompto, waving his arm high above his head. Noctis frowned somewhat, but still hastened his pace a little. The closer he got to his waiting friends, the more he braced himself for their teasing. “So, you two have a good time?” A sly grin parted Prompto's lips as he placed a thumb to his chin cheekily.  
“We got a fortune. I wouldn't exactly call that a 'good time', though.”  
“Ah, so she believed you two to be a couple, huh? That's so sweet!” Noctis' frown only deepened. A laugh quickly escaped Prompto. “You know what I love about this?” Moving over to Noctis' side, he slung an arm around the Prince's shoulders. “Even without having been there, I can still make fun of you for it.”  
Rather forcefully, Noctis pried Prompto's grip off of him, and took several large strides away. “What did you guys find out?” he questioned, looking over to Ignis and Gladiolus.  
“Legends and and old tales, mostly,” began Ignis, removing his glasses to clean them. “It seems that whenever we asked about a gateway, people would bring up some passageway that is said to be located in the Cursed Lands. These lands apparently reside to the east, past the Shi'eum Mountains. The passageway itself is supposed to connect to a shadow world. Whether that refers to the Underworld or not, I can't say.” Calmly, he put his glasses back on. “However...” Noctis found himself gulping nervously. He did not like the sound of that one word. “No one has made it across the mountains in many, many generations.”  
“Yeah, it's no wonder their name means _death_ ,” interjected Gladiolus.  
“The majority of those that do attempt to cross are never seen from again. The few that return only do so because they never got very far before turning around. Even airships are unable to cross the mountain range. It seems that torrent winds stop even the strongest of ships.”  
Noctis rubbed the back of his neck, soaking in the information his friends had gathered. “Well, we never did expect this to be easy...”  
“So what was it you found out in your fortune?”  
Clearing his throat, Noctis recited the fortune Madame Akemi had foretold. Already, thanks to hearing the information his friends had gathered, he believed more that what she had told them was the key to the puzzle.  
“Death?” questioned Prompto. “As in _death_ death?”  
“Death generally means that,” Gladiolus dryly remarked.  
“Whoa, whoa man!” Raising his hands, Prompto made a large X with them. “If we're gonna die on this journey, maybe we should take a few steps back and rethink our plan here. We won't do anyone any good if we're _dead_.”  
“Actually, I think this death is just what we want,” mused Ignis, his chin cupped pensively in his hand.  
His eyes widening, Prompto stared at Ignis as though the adviser had grown an extra set of limbs. “Okay, I already know you've gone insane from even _suggesting_ we should try to get to the Underworld in the _first_ place....but _seriously_? We _want_ this death?”  
As calm as ever, Ignis merely shifted his gaze in the direction of the blond. “When we are trying to get to the land of the _dead_ , then yes, death awaiting us is a good thing. Judging from what she said, it seems we need to cross the mountains and head further east and find the Gates. It would seem the legends of the passageway in the Cursed Lands might actually be true.”  
“Yeah, or she could have meant something else completely! Like that we die if we attempt to cross the mountains, and the Gates open up and we're taken to the Underworld where all the previously dead people greet us oh so warmly. I would really, _really_ hate it if I were to die and be unable to come back. In fact, I just don't want to die. _Period_.”  
“You don't have to come,” noted Noctis, his mind still mulling over the fortune Madame Akemi had given them. His shoulders falling in surprise, Prompto looked to the Prince. “That goes for you two, as well. The fortune was mine...” His eyes flickered over to the white-haired woman in their party for a second. “...Was _ours_... There was nothing in it saying you guys had to come. If you would rather return home now, then I won't stop you...” It was hard for him to say, but Noctis meant every word. It was his fate that was to be decided in the Underworld, not his friends. He did not want to put them in any more danger than necessary.  
A single laugh escaped Gladiolus. Looking up, Noctis watched his scarred friend come to his side and place a strong hand on his shoulder. “I may just be a member of the City Guard, but if I want to get promoted any further, it's best I start protecting the royal family. You need at least someone else to help watch your back as long as you can't use your powers properly.”  
“Though I don't doubt you'd be able to get to the Underworld, once there, you would probably take one wrong turn and be lost forever.” Crossing his arms, Ignis let out a soft sigh. “You'll still need an adviser with you. Face it, you can be quite bad when it comes to planning things on your own.”An amused smirk creeped up across his face.  
“I know I may complain a lot,” sighed Prompto, throwing his arms behind his head. “But you should also know that I'll stick with you wherever you decide to go, though I may not agree with it, even to the depths of the Underworld itself. Which, coincidentally, is where we're headed. So I think that works out kinda nicely, don't you?” Letting out a quick laugh, Noctis nodded at his blond friend.  
Silently, he then looked towards Niveus. Though Madame Akemi had told her her future had not been in the fortune, as long as she was bound to the Crystal Shards, her present future was intertwined completely with Noctis'. That, in a way, was at least some form of a future for her.  
“Then let's restock supplies before we head to the Underworld.” Noctis blinked slowly at what he had just said.  
“Never in my entire life did I think I'd ever say _that_.”  
“Yes, well, considering none of us ever thought the Crystal would decide to _shatter_ and send its shards all over the damn place, it's really not that surprising any more.”  
“This coming from the guy who still finds things we see on our journey to be weird?” noted Ignis.  
“Hey! Weird is still weird, no matter what!”  
As his friends began to bicker once again around him, Noctis stared up past the tiers of Iwago and towards the Shi'eum Mountains that rose in the distance. Though they had already come a long way, there was still much farther for them to go. Even if they made it to the Underworld, there was no telling what would be lying in the shadows.

It was time to find out what was waiting for him in his future.

 

 The word felt ridiculous to say, let alone to be considered as a valid possibility. The Underworld... They truly must be in great desperation to even think of trying to get to the land of the dead. It had barely been a week since they collected the shard that had caused the time loop, and already they had to resort to this? Noctis stared back down at what remained of his drink. He did not much like the idea of trying to travel to the Underworld. What he liked even less was that he was now contemplating the entire idea. Was it even going to be possible?

“The Underworld. I think you'd be fired from your job if anyone back home heard you _advising_ that.” Prompto gave a rather disapproving sniff. He was the least accepting of the entire idea.

Normally, Noctis would have been right beside Prompto in this matter, but their need was dire. He had no explanation for his inability to sense any more shards. Even when they had to cross the vast ocean to find more shards, he could still sense them. But, now, there was only the remnant of those last remaining shards—an echo of their presence left behind. Where had they gone?

“Has it really come to this? We're considering going to a place that may exist only myths and legends?” Gladiolus let out an unamused huff as he crossed his arms. Like Prompto, he did not readily concede to the notion of trying to reach the Underworld.

“It exists. There's no doubt about that...” muttered Noctis, tapping a finger against the side of his cup. He had known for a long time that the Underworld existed, as did anyone who could see The Light. “The Goddess Etro shall open the Gate and welcome the souls of the dead. When that occurs, a bright light shall shine down through the skies over the dead. And those few who see that light shall be bestowed with the strength from the land of the dead.” With a soft sigh, Noctis finished quoting the old legend. The legend was known by nearly all across the world, but only those that could see The Light knew how true it was. Looking up from his cup, Noctis peered at his scarred friend. “The Underworld is there, though most can't see it until the end.”

Gladiolus broke his gaze from Noctis, no longer able to hold his own under the Prince's near-sombre stare. From the look that had been hidden in Gladiolus' eyes, Noctis knew that his friend had been reminded of the event that led the Prince to be able to see The Light. A long sigh escaped him as he looked to his other friends. They were all reminded of it as well. Noctis caught Niveus' gaze for a second, the one person with them who did not know why he could see The Light. At least, when he looked at her, he did not have to recall that time. For a moment, he was allowed to forget once more.

“Just how would we _get_ to the Underworld, then?” asked Gladiolus, shifting in his chair. “It's not exactly some place we can just catch a ride to.”

“Are you kidding? Getting there's the easy part,” snorted Prompto. “It's getting _back_ that's difficult. In case you haven't noticed, there aren't exactly a lot of recently deceased people walking around.”

“So are you offering to lead the way for us?” A deadly smirk crossed Gladiolus' visage.

Quickly, Prompto threw up his hands to stop that topic from going any further. “Nope! No! No way!”

“We'll have to be careful,” stated Ignis. Resting his elbows on the table, he laced his fingers together, and a deep, pensive crease formed on his forehead. “Don't forget about the legends of ancient heroes that have travelled to the Underworld.”

“So we can just ask them? Oh, wait, that's right, they're _dead_.”

Ignis' eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “If it has been done before, then it can be done again.”

“The Gates,” muttered Noctis, trying to remember the various legends. They were not as helpful as he would have liked; many of them were so vague. But, there was at least one part that was consistent between them: “The Gates of the Underworld. If we find the Gates, we might find our way in.”

“Passage to Etro's domain... The land of the dead... The place from which the Destroyers received their power...” Her voice still quiet, Niveus' words barely rose above the noise around them. She stared almost blankly ahead, not focusing on anything in particular. A hand rose up and gripped the shard that still hung from around her neck. Noctis felt a pang of regret hit him in his gut. He had forgotten about what they had learned recently on their journey, the revealed relation between those that fought with The Light and the Crystal...

“Great, so we're considering going into _enemy_ territory?” Gladiolus was quick to hush Prompto. He was beginning to voice his thoughts a little too loudly for the restaurant of the inn.

“Not necessarily.” Tapping his fingertips to his lips, Ignis' pensive look did not go away. Noctis could almost hear the gears in his mind churning. “The Crystal was frightened of the _Obruo_ , not The Light itself. As Vacua informed us, they are merely weapons. The Light, Etro, and the Underworld may not be enemies of the Crystal.”

“All right, maybe that's the case, or maybe not. But why the hell did the shards even _go_ to the Underworld? Tell me the reason in _that_!”

“There is none,” muttered Noctis. “The shards went to...wherever they could. If there was anything that could make it to the Underworld with such ease, it would be the Crystal.”

A long sigh escaped Prompto before he let his head fall on the table. “Are we seriously gonna be going through with this crazy plan?”

“Actually, in light of some of our more recent plans, I would say this is starting to look rather normal.” A slightly twisted grin tugged at the corner of Ignis' mouth. Noctis frowned slightly when he noticed it. Their bespectacled friend could find the oddest of things amusing sometimes. “Either way, we shall have to gather more information before we can continue on, be it to the Underworld or not.” Sighing, Ignis sat up straighter in his chair, the pensive lines on his forehead finally vanishing. “Now, who knows where we'll even _find_ the information we need, but we might as well start here.”

“So you folks are after some information, huh?” A hand came past Noctis' shoulder and took his empty cup, nearly making him jump in surprise. Looking up, he saw the waiter that had attended them at their table. He glanced over the five of them, slowly slipping around the chairs to take all the empty cups. “Sorry, couldn't help but hear the last bit of your conversation. While there are plenty a' people who know stuff in this city, you might want to go see Madame Akemi. She's a fortune teller, and a real damn good on at that. Though, there is one thing you should know of...”

“And what is that?” enquired Ignis, arching an eyebrow.

Their waiter seemed to hesitate a moment, his eyes darting over Noctis and his friends one more time. “She...only does readings for couples...”

“What the hell kind of condition is that? And if that's the case, then why the hell would we go to her for information?” questioned Prompto, letting his unamused gaze fall onto the waiter.

“Because there's none better than her.” The waiter gave Prompto a rather disapproving glance. “If you ask the right questions, then you should get the information you want. Not like you have to go see her, though. Just thought you guys might like to know. There anything else you guys need?”

Noctis shook his head. “No, we're done here.” After the Prince paid for their meals, the waiter dipped his head in thanks and took his leave.

“A fortune teller? Seriously?” Prompto ran his hands through his blond hair before standing like the rest.

“If we were to split up, it wouldn't hurt to have someone at least see what she has to say,” figured Ignis. “We have as much a chance getting the information we need from her as anyone else.”

“But that guy said she only dealt with cou—oh, wait...”

Noctis' brow, which had been furrowed, swiftly rose in surprise. Their situation only then fully dawned upon the Prince at his friend's remark. In near unison with his friends, Noctis' gaze switched to Niveus as they started to leave the inn. The pale woman, who had, until that point, not fully comprehended their situation, faltered in her step when four sets of eyes fell upon her. Without them saying anything, she seemed to understand the predicament she had wound up in, and was already becoming rather flustered at the thought.

“Well, I'd go, but I think it would be hard to convince this Akemi if I were the one to show up with Niveus.” Gladiolus shrugged as they stepped out into the fresh air. Noctis sent him a skeptic look. He did not seem to be the least bit disheartened with not being the one to visit Madame Akemi.

“While I am fine with the idea, I think I'd be a better use to our time here if I searched for information elsewhere.” Nodding to himself, Ignis stood a bit straighter. He had an air of confidence about him, challenging anyone in his own way to dare argue his decision.

A wicked grin came across Prompto's face as he switched his gaze over to Noctis. That look... Noctis knew far too well it meant he was in for some trouble. “Looks like you're our man, Noct!”

“W-what?” blurted out Noctis as his blond friend pulled him into a headlock. “How come you're not going to do it?” Noctis had fully expected Prompto to be the one to volunteer. Out of the four of them, he seemed to enjoy having Niveus around the most. Perhaps that was mostly due to the fact she was someone new he could joke with, but that did not change things. With some difficulty, the Prince managed to squirm out of Prompto's hold on him.

“Because while I'd be more than happy to do it, it'd be _waaaaaay_ more amusing to have you be the one.” That grin. Noctis wanted to smack it off his friend's face right then.

“But, I-I'm your Prince!” he hissed back quietly, starting to get rather flustered himself. He rarely ever used the authority of his lineage with his friends to either avoid doing something himself, or making them do something for him, but he did not know what else to do. It was one of the great things he loved about being with his friends: he did not feel like a member of the royal family. With them, he could just be himself. As such, making them treat him like a Prince was rather contradictory to his wishes. “You can't make me do this!”

“Ah, your forgetting one itsy-bitsy thing, Noct!” Prompto's laugh literally sent chills up Noctis' spine. “Other people can't find out who you really are! That bit with Saul was bad enough. We have to treat you just like any other com-mon-er. No special dispensation for yoooouuuu.” The blond was finding too much glee in the matter for Noctis' liking.

“Why me...?” Noctis muttered, helplessly looking at the ground.

“Sorry, but someone's gotta do it!” With a push from behind, Noctis was sent stumbling several feet forward. When he managed to look up, he saw that Prompto had shoved him in the direction of the pale woman. Straightening, he tried to smooth down the creases that had formed in his coat. A wave of shyness crashed over him, and he felt his mouth become extremely dry. Honestly, of all the times...

“Good luck, Noct!”

“We'll meet up with you two later.”

Swivelling around quickly, Noctis looked back in time to see his friends, quite literally, desert him. His mouth gaped open as he tried to call out to them, to make them stop, to have them come back, but only an odd noise escaped instead. Gone. They were...gone.

“Guys...” he pleaded quietly, knowing full well that he could not be heard by them. Feeling helpless once again, he let out a sigh as his shoulders fell.

“What...exactly is it we have to do?” asked the soft voice from behind. Despite the matter at hand having to deal with her specifically, no one had discussed anything with Niveus. In a way, she, too, had been deserted.

Realizing that he was not completely alone, Noctis stood straight once more. After clearing his throat, he turned to face Niveus. It could have been worse, right? The Prince blinked slowly to himself. At that moment, he could not think of exactly how it could be worse, but he still stood by his conclusion.

“We're the ones that have to go see this Madame Akemi.” With a frustrated sigh, Noctis ran his hands through his dark hair. They did not even know where to find this woman... His blue eyes darted around for a moment.

The city they were in was somewhat small (especially when compared to Noctis' home), but it was still very grand in its own way. Built into the sides of a ravine, there were many different levels that made up the place known as Iwago. Craning his head back, Noctis stared up at the highest levels, and the mountains that lay in the distance. Slowly his gaze travelled down, trying to etch the various routes that could be taken into his mind. Rope bridges spanned the vast distances between the opposing sides of the ravine, allowing for easier access to the many areas. So much time and effort had to have been put into making the city what it was today.

“And...what is this 'couple' thing that was mentioned?”

Turning his back to the pale woman, Noctis promptly tried to hide how flustered he had become. That was the question he had been dreading to answer. It was not so much just a matter of the question itself, but rather he did not feel like explaining that little detail to her. That little answer...she could be informed of it once her memory has returned.

“Ju-just follow my lead when we get there,” he muttered, not even bothering to glance over his shoulder. At least he would not have to deal with that necessity until they found Madame Akemi. Even then...perhaps there was some way he would be able to work around it.

Walking over to the edge of the level they were on, Noctis stared down to the many levels that were still beneath them. Unless Madame Akemi was located the same tier they were currently on, he suspected it would still take a while to reach her. After pursing his lips together, the Prince looked back to Niveus. The pale woman remained where she had been standing the entire time, waiting to help accomplish what was needed to be done.

With a sigh, Noctis quickly looked back away. As a Prince, he was required to deal with dignitaries and their relatives at various events that were held back home. It had always been something he loathed doing. Being forced into this by his friends, it was like being forced to attend those various events and put on a facade in a way for everyone...only, for some reason he could not place, this was about ten times worse.

Merely motioning for Niveus to follow, Noctis headed down the sidewalk. Keeping an eye out, Noctis looked for anyone who appeared to be local rather than someone who was visiting Iwago. It was not too hard to tell visitors apart from locals—the visitors seemed to be the ones who were often entranced by the construction of the city, or slightly afraid of wandering too close to the edge of the level, despite the railings. The locals were, not surprisingly, much more comfortable in their surroundings.

“Thanks.” With a curt nod, Noctis walked away from the person he had just asked for directions from. Thankfully, whoever this Madame Akemi really was, she was at least a well-known resident. Finding out where it was she lived did not take up much time. With a nervous swallow, Noctis stopped a few feet from one of the bridges that connected the sides of the ravine. The fortune teller was on the opposing side of where they were stationed, and as such, they were going to have to cross sooner or later. Those bridges...they continued to sway, the degree depending on how long the bridge was. It did not look to be the most secure of ways to connect the sides at first glance.

“Something wrong?” Niveus asked, coming up by his side.

Keeping his mouth shut tight, Noctis shook his head a bit too fervently. He took in a deep breath before releasing it slowly. As he looked down the length of the bridge before them that was barely wide enough to allow two people abreast to walk along, he felt himself feeling somewhat uncertain, and much more nervous. It was not the height he was afraid of. On the contrary. He quite enjoyed heights, like those atop buildings. They had always been a place he could go to be alone. With the power of the Crystal on his side, getting to hard-to-reach places away from everybody else was something he could do without breaking a sweat.

But the rope bridge before them was not a secure rooftop. Nor was it even a sturdy airship. It did not appear to be much of a secure _anything_. Noctis sniffed in disapproval as he studied the bridge some more, trying to postpone the inevitable of having to cross the swaying structure. Had it been like the vast bridges they had back home, built from cement and strong cables and were meant to withstand the tests of nature and time, he suspected he would not have hesitated to cross. But... Even with a fair amount of his powers returned, he still did not run head-first into situations like he once did. If something were to happen while crossing, the Crystal could answer him...or it could not. It was still too much of a gamble.

Quickly, the Prince looked over the edge to count just how many levels it was to the bottom. He frowned. Too many. Heading all the way to the ground via the stairs and then climbing back up the other side would waste too much time. If Madame Akemi did not give them any information they wanted, or even bothered to _see_ them, then they would have to continue searching elsewhere. For that, time was needed.

“Are...you okay?”

Noctis blinked and looked over towards Niveus. He had taken a bit too long merely standing there. Clearing his throat, the Prince stood taller, held his shoulders back, and started towards the bridge. “Fine. Just...thinking...” he muttered, passing her by.

Keeping his gaze on the far end of the bridge, the blue-eyed man continued to put one foot in front of the other. Planks of wood creaked beneath him as he started along the simple structure. He made sure to keep his head held high and focused on that one place he had to get to. More creaking rose up behind him and he knew Niveus was not too far behind. Part of him wanted to reach out and grab onto the rope beside him that helped suspend the bridge and acted as a railing, but he restrained himself from doing so. Though, as they neared the center of the bridge and it became much more windy, it became much harder to restrain himself.

As the far end of the bridge neared, Noctis picked up his pace carefully. Only once his feet landed on the sturdy platform for the opposing level did he feel safe once again. He let out a quiet sigh as he quickly continued along to get more distance between himself and the bridge. The inhabitants of Iwago should come up with a better way to travel between the sides of the ravine, he figured. At least his friends did not have to see how he nearly froze up at the idea of crossing. And, as far as he was concerned, they were never going to find out.

With Niveus back at his side, the Prince weaved his way by the people travelling through the city. It only took a few flights of stairs to reach the level where Madame Akemi was meant to be located. Peering up, Noctis kept an eye out for the sign he was told would let them know where the fortune teller was. It really was not hard to spot. Deep and vibrant colours stood out from the stores either side of hers. And the sign, which consisted of her name above a stylized design of an eye, made it even easier to locate.

A woman sat beneath the canopy of fabric stretched out, enjoying the shade it provided. Slowly rocking backing back and forth on a rocking chair, she puffed at a long, slender pipe. When he got close enough, Noctis saw it was though it had been crafted to fit perfectly in her grip. Yards of fabric draped over her form and the chair, with metals and gems that glinted in the light dangling from various spots. Streaks of gray and white mixed with her long ebony hair. A wrinkled face that held kindness and wisdom looked up at the Prince, causing him to somehow feel relaxed and apprehensive at the same time.

“Are you Madame Akemi?” he asked, stopping just before he would have crossed into her shade.

Her eyes crinkled ever so slightly, hinting at the hidden smile that had formed. “That is what people call me now, yes.”

Noctis' brow furrowed. There was no time to ask her what she meant by that. “Would you be able to do a reading? For us?”

Dark eyes shifted from the Prince towards Niveus. Picking up the subtle change in Madame Akemi's expression, he reached out, being careful not to move too fast, and grasped Niveus' hand, pulling her closer to him. It was taking much more strength than he would have liked to keep his expression looking normal as he tried to ensure Madame Akemi saw them as a couple.

As a Prince, dating was not something he could do leisurely as others might have. He had been made aware of eligible women, sure, but he had never been a “couple” with any of them. This experience was...rather foreign to him. It really would have been much better had one of the others gone with Niveus to see Madame Akemi instead of himself. But, as he glanced across to Niveus, he realized that he should not have been so worried about his own acting, but rather hers.

She was just so...stiff. Standing close to Noctis, the pale woman appeared even more unnatural in this situation than he did. _Any_ of them would have had a hard time convincing Akemi of being a couple with Niveus.

Tugging on her hand slightly, Noctis tried to pull her closer to him. She merely leaned in his direction minutely as a result. Resisting the urge to purse his lips together in annoyance, Noctis looked back to Akemi, hoping that was going to be enough, for he was pretty sure he was not going to be able to get any more from Niveus without making it completely obvious to the fortune teller that they were not together. He really should have taken a moment to explain at least a few things to the pale woman once he had spotted the fortune teller's place, but, once again, he had rushed into things.

Madame Akemi let out a puff of smoke before switching her pipe to the other side of her mouth. Noctis could only wonder if that was a good or bad sign for them. “I'm afraid you've caught me at a bad time, you see, for today,s my break day. Come see me tomorrow.”

“Could you make an exception, please? This is rather important for us, and we most likely won't be here tomorrow.” He had not crossed that bridge, and pretended to be a couple with Niveus, to back down now. They would see if this fortune teller was really all she was made to be.

“Important, you say?” She took a long draft from her pipe before breathing it back out. Her dark eyes studied Noctis for what felt like an unnaturally long amount of time. Somehow, he managed to hold his own under the fortune teller's gaze. “Follow me.” Rising, Madame Akemi tapped out the contents of her pipe before stashing it somewhere within her long sleeves.

Only when she turned her back to them did Noctis let out a soft sigh in relief again that day. Dropping Niveus' hand from his, he followed after Madame Akemi into her building. A wall of strong fragrances hit Noctis as soon as he entered. They were completely foreign to him—scents he had never smelled before in his life. While interesting, they were beginning to irritate his senses slightly. He would definitely not be staying inside longer than was needed.

“Please, take a seat.” Gesturing to the chairs around a small round table, Madame Akemi moved around the room and lit several candles. “Your names?”

“Noctis and Niveus.” The Prince arched an eyebrow at the table before them as Niveus and he took their seats. If the fortune teller pulled out a crystal ball to use, he was in his right mind to get up and leave. The insides of a bag rattled together as it was placed on the table. That was definitely not a crystal ball. From its shape and size, Noctis could only wonder what was inside the bag as Madame Akemi took a seat across from them.

“So, what is it you need my skills to foresee?”

Noctis shifted in his seat slightly, becoming uncomfortable under her searching gaze. Between her and the fragrances, he was not too sure he would be able to put up being inside the building. “We're...travelling... And we were wondering if...you could tell us where we're meant to go.”

Eyebrows rose. “Really now? This was so _important_ that you had to disturb me on my day off?”

Surprised by how dark her voice had become, the Prince nearly sank down in his chair. But he would not back down. Not now. Clenching his hands into fists against his legs so he would not snap out in desperation, he took in a calming breath. “It _is_ important. You have no idea just how vital it is...to us...” he added after briefly glancing towards Niveus. He was not entirely sure if Madame Akemi believed them to be a couple or not, but he was not about to test that theory now.

“How important to you is it then?”

A huff of frustration escaped Noctis. He was not enjoying having to explain matters in such a vague matter. Leaving out details such as the restoration of their Crystal to save his home and people did remove a certain sense of urgency. Whether she was able to see the truth behind his words, though, was a different matter. “It... It's...” The Prince licked his lips as he tried to think of the best way to explain it so that the crucial side of their journey could be conveyed.

A hands rose to stop him before he could even continue. “Let's hear something from Niveus.” That caused Noctis to become nervous.

Beside him, the pale woman clasped her hands together tightly on her lap as she glanced down. Thoughts ran through his head so quickly that it nearly gave him a headache. Would she be able to give an answer on her own? Would she know to say nothing of their true purpose and where they were from? How could he let her know what to say without Madame Akemi finding out? How could he get them—

“It's a matter of life and death.” Noctis blinked in surprise at Niveus' statement, his train of thoughts coming to a halt. “It's all that matters to us now. If we don't know where we are headed, we will be lost forever...”

He swiftly closed his mouth as he looked back to Madame Akemi, not knowing when it had fallen open. While a perhaps bit more over-dramatic than he would have preferred, Niveus' explanation was as close to perfect as he could have hoped.

A smile broke out across Madame Akemi's thin lips. “Good.”

Noctis sat back against his chair, realizing only then how tense he had become. Whatever Madame Akemi had been looking for in them, she had found it. A weathered hand reached out to grab the bag that had been placed on the table. In a fluid motion, she loosened the twine that bound it, and let the contents topple out.

Bones.

Shapes of varying sizes fell to the table. Some rolled. Some bounced. Some barely moved. Each fell and found its own place to rest. Just by glancing at them, Noctis was not certain just what animals or monsters they had come from, but he was sure they had been of formidable size. Knuckle bones, like the ones that lay before him, could only come from larger fiends. Out of the various ways they could have had their fortune told, Noctis had not suspected it to be from a bone reading.

Noctis glanced up to Madame Akemi, watching her expression rather than focusing on the bones himself. To him, they meant nothing. But, her reaction to them did. For the most part, there was nothing on her face to give him any inclination to their fortune, until...

“You say you would be lost without this reading?” Madame Akemi's voice was quiet, and, if Noctis was not mistaken, contained a hint of fear. He only answered in the affirmative. When she looked up, the Prince was shocked at how sunken her dark eyes suddenly looked. “Then I suggest that you stay lost.”

His voice caught momentarily in his throat. Was their future really so bad they should stop now? That could not be. “Please, tell us,” begged Noctis, leaning forward. “We have to know.”

Dark eyes met his blue ones. She wanted him to look away. She wanted him to back down. She him wanted to leave now and forget the future that remained untold. All that, he could tell from her gaze. Despite her silent pleads, Noctis would not turn and run. He had to know what their future held, no matter how unfortunate it might turn out to be.

“If you head down this path, only death awaits you.” Madame Akemi's voice nearly choked. Judging from her reaction to their fortune, Noctis suspected that she did not read ones like this very often. “Far to the east is where you will reach your end. Gates will open, beckoning you to the land that lies in the shadow of this one. Souls of the past will rise to your presence.” Her eyes darted back down to study the stones once more. “It is in that realm that your fate shall be decided. Beyond that...I cannot read what your future holds...”

Noctis tried his best to comprehend the information. It was simple, telling him a lot, and yet nearly nothing at the same time. But, a fortune it was all the same. And, with it, they might have just gotten the information they had required. Rising, Noctis reached for one of his pouches so that he could pay Madame Akemi for her service.

“No.” Raising a hand, she gestured for him to stop. “For a fortune like this, I could not possibly accept payment.”

“All right...” He was not about to complain. Though it had not been the most comforting of fortunes, he still felt compensation was needed. Having completed what they set out to do, Noctis and Niveus headed back for the entrance.

“Wait, just, one more thing,” called out Madame Akemi,who remained seated at the table.

“What is it?” Noctis looked over his shoulder. The fortune teller seemed hesitant. Her eyes darted back down to the bones once more before nodding to herself.

“Normally, when I consult the bones, I get a combination of the future for the two in question. But for you...” Concerned, the dark eyes settled on Niveus. Noctis saw her adjust herself nervously. That fortune teller's gaze was enough to unsettle almost anyone. “You... There was no future for you.” Madame Akemi looked as though all the life had drained from her. So distraught...and yet she had only done the reading, she was not the one to find out she had no future. Shaken, she placed a hand on the table. “There was nothing. Absolutely nothing... I...I've never seen that before in _any_ reading. What it means, I do not know. But...I thought you should be aware of it.” Eyes almost sunken, Madame Akemi glanced back to Noctis. It had been a long time since he had seen such regret from a person. “For the first time, I pray that the future I foresaw is wrong... I can only hope that there is some way for you to change it.”  
  
Noctis opened his mouth, but nothing came out, and he quickly shut it. How was he supposed to respond? He could think of nothing that would suffice. Though he wanted to, at the very least, say a thank you, the Prince knew his heart would not be in it. How could it be after what they had been told? All he did was bow his head respectively towards Madame Akemi, and allowed Niveus and himself out.  
  
The clean air was refreshing and reviving. No longer was his head so stuffed up due to the fragrances inside Madame Akemi's place. He could once again think clearly. And there was now plenty for him to think about. Where would he even begin?  
  
“No future...” mumbled Niveus, walking a few slow steps forward. Noctis could only bring himself to watch her silently. Even that much felt a challenge after hearing what Madame Akemi had told them. Niveus seemed, once again, completely withdrawn and silent. What progress she had made over the last three months had been lost in no more than a few moments. “And no past.” She brought her hands before her and clasped them together firmly. From her knuckles nearly turning white, Noctis knew she was distraught, but he did not understand how much so until she turned around. A pang of sympathy ran through him, second to only when he had seen her cry over Hitomi.  
  
Pain. Confusion. Loss. Her expression conveyed all those feelings and more at once. Seeing her seem so... _human_ , it tore at him more than he had ever imagined possible.  
  
“What does that make me...?”  
  
“Niveus...” Unable to say anything further, Noctis cast his eyes away. He could not bear to look at her any longer. He wanted to comfort her in some way, really, but there...there was no answer he could come up with that would do her any justice. To have no memorable past was one thing, but to be told there was no future as well... He could not begin to imagine what that was like. All of her problems had been caused by the Crystal. Pursing his lips together, Noctis felt a foul taste rise in his mouth. For the first time since he could remember, he _resented_ the Crystal...and it nearly made him sick. So much trouble and inconvenience... He could now fully see why Prompto was so frustrated over the whole ordeal.  
  
Hesitantly, he looked back to Niveus. The pale woman had since cast her gaze back down. The initial shock from the information seemed to have ebbed away, but he could tell that she was still not quite herself. No past, and no future... Both had been caused from the Crystal. It had taken her past from her. Would it give her memories and who she was back when it was restored? They still did not know. As for her future... While Noctis did not put the blame for that on Crystal alone, it played a large factor. If not for it, then he would not see such an unfavourable outcome for Niveus once they reached home. Whether that was what Madame Akemi meant when she saw no future for Niveus, he was not certain, but it was what he believed. Once restored and returned, she would have no future. That made her present all the more important.  
  
“You...” he began, a partial answer forming in his mind. He did not know if it would be enough for her, but he had to try. Upon hearing him, Niveus tilted her head back up. “You're...you...” Noctis licked his lips nervously. Judging from her expression, he could tell that was not enough of an answer. It had only made her more confused. “You may have no known past at the moment, or no future—whatever the hell it was Akemi meant by _that_ anyway—but that doesn't stop you from being...who you are...right...now...” His voice slowly trailed off as he felt himself becoming more flustered. He was not so skilled at comforting people (not even his closest of friends at the best of times) with words, especially when they were looking _right_ at him. Now was no different. To help hide his embarrassment, Noctis promptly looked anywhere but at her. “Or, y'know...something...along those lines...” He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.  
  
Silence. Well, it was not exact silence, for the noises of the city and the people about them still filled the air, but there was silence between him and Niveus now. That silence was what he focused on. Having her recede back into the shell of a person she was when they first met would not be useful to any of them right now. He only hoped he had managed to keep that from happening.  
  
“So...what should we do now?”  
  
Noctis blinked. When he looked back to Niveus, relief flowed over him. Gone was that expression of pained confusion. Most of it, anyway. Some still lingered behind, but that he could understand. Back was the look of expectancy and curiosity that she had come to wear like a second skin. To see that expression again, it was a good sign. Huffing lightly, he crossed his arms and thought. Part of him considered reaching into one of his pouches, pulling out his cellphone, and calling Ignis. They had seen Madame Akemi and had gotten a fortune; they had done their part in searching for information. Why should they not meet up with his other friends now? They could be looking for more information, and they would only end up splitting off into smaller groups to gather more if he returned to them now. It would probably be better if he and Niveus merely searched around a little more, if only to get another perspective on matters. Or, instead, they could...  
  
“Let's take a break.” Pursing his lips together, Noctis took another look around Iwago. There was certainly much for them to see in the city. It would be very easy to simply relax and take some of it in. When his eyes fell back on Niveus, her confused look said more than a few words could. “Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus all got several days break back during that festival while we didn't. So, I think we deserve a little breather, especially after what we've been told.” Leaning back a little more, Noctis adjusted his posture so he was no longer so tense. Any hint to his royal stature was erased. For now, he was just one more person enjoying the marvel of Iwago.  
  
“Do we have time for a break?”  
  
Noctis blew at some of his bangs that had fallen annoyingly in front of his vision. Part of his mind was telling him to say no, that there was not time enough for a break. Now that they had information, they should quickly meet back up with his friends and be on their way. They had lost enough days thanks to the time loop, and there was no sense in wasting any more hours. That is what his duty-bound side believed, anyway. But, then again, as long as his friends were still trying to gather information, who was to say they could not take a little break? As long as he and Niveus presented it as them having spent all the time at Madame Akemi's, then his friends would never know the difference.  
  
He smirked victoriously. “Yeah, we got time.” Slipping off his gloves, he tucked them securely into his belt. To have enough time for a break was a rare thing for him to acquire. Bound to his role in society, Noctis was always doing _something_. Even the parties and gatherings he had to attend were not considered a break by his definition. Meeting with dignitaries and presenting a strong image for the Caelum dynasty was not his idea of a fun time. Those few minutes he could steal for himself became all the more precious because of his cramped schedule. In a way, this journey to collect the shards, though a mission he had been given, had allowed him more freedom in the past three months than he had gotten in the past three years.  
  
Allowing himself to relax even further, Noctis started back down the walkway. Without looking, he knew Niveus was soon by his side. They allowed themselves to meander along. Iwago was a bustling commercial city. Shops sold all sorts of merchandise. Even Noctis was amazed at the variety of goods. Despite now being on a break, he still did not allow himself to buy anything he deemed unnecessary, which was almost everything. He made a mental note to, whenever conditions allowed (largely whenever the cold war may end) that he return here to enjoy all of Zenn'thus properly.  
  
The farther down they travelled, the fewer shops there were. Noctis took a look back up at the many tiers that towered above them. It seemed that the more commercial part of the city resided on the higher levels, while homes and residential areas took up the lower sections. The density of people walking around also lessened the closer to the ground level they got. This area was left for the inhabitants of Iwago, not the visitors that wanted to browse local goods. Not to mention, the levels were also much wider, allowing more room for people to travel across. It was much calmer down here, and Noctis liked that.  
  
“What is that music?” pondered Niveus not long after they had reached the ground level. Blue eyes flashed towards the pale woman momentarily. She slowly craned her head around, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. For a few seconds, Noctis did not know of what she spoke, until the trickle of instruments met his ears. Like a siren's song, he began to feel drawn towards it. His feet took him in the direction of the faint music, Niveus trailing after him like a white shadow.  
  
Not far off in the distance, he could see a crowd of people huddling together. That seemed to be the source of the music. Coming up from behind, he managed to find a large enough gap that allowed both of them a clear view through the crowd. A small stage was set up, just high enough to make the performers easier to view. Several of the performers were musicians, each playing a different instrument. Most of them, Noctis could name, but there were a couple that the Prince did not know what to call. Singers made up the rest of the performers, their voices mixing with the instruments to create a wonderful melody.  
  
All too soon, the voices stopped, and the music was followed by silence. To help fill that emptiness, the crowd that had gathered applauded. Up on the stage, the performers bowed before someone else switched with the singers and stepped to the front. As the applauds died down, notes from a single instrument arose into the air. As the others joined in to meld their sounds perfectly with the first, so too did the solo singer add her voice in telling the story of the song.  
  
Silently, Noctis listened to the lyrics. The hauntingly beautiful song slowly piqued his interest. The story told in the lyrics was that of The Light and the Underworld itself. Of sadness. Of death. Of the pain felt by those left behind. Of the journey towards the Gates...and beyond.  
  
The Prince's chest began to tighten the further into the song they got. For a time long ago, he had been amazed by The Light, found it wonderful even. But then all of that had changed. Ever since that eventful night, he had resented it. He had come to despise The Light, and nearly forsook the Goddess Etro completely. Yet this song... It brought back memories of the days when he believed The Light to be a marvelous thing. When he, too, believed it to be a blessing rather than the curse he now took it for. As the song plucked at his very heartstrings, he began to wonder if he was so mistaken... Could some of the good he once thought to be there still remain?  
  
Only when the song ended did it release him from its grasp. Applauds rose once more, but, so lost in his thoughts and feelings, Noctis could not bring himself to join in. Before another song could start, he grabbed Niveus' hand and pulled her away from the performers. He wanted to get away, to forget it, at least for now. If The Light were truly an enemy to the Crystal, he could not begin to doubt himself. If that were the case, then they had to hurry to the Underworld and save the shards from the land of the dead.  
  
“What exactly _is_ The Light?” questioned Niveus. Only once they were far enough away to no longer hear the music from the performers did Noctis slow down. He looked back at the white-haired woman, his mind slowly clearing. She tilted her head at him like she always did, that innocent curiosity shining behind her pale eyes.  
  
“The Light...” he began momentarily, still trying to get his thoughts back in order. As his gaze travelled down in thought, he saw that he had still a hold of Niveus' hand. Swiftly, he let it fall from his. Clearing his throat, Noctis attempted to start again. “No one knows for certain what The Light is. All—”  
  
_Ring ring_. _Ring ring_.  
  
The noise caused Noctis to draw a momentary blank. It took a few seconds after being cut-off to realize it was his cellphone that had sounded. Sighing softly, he reached into one of his pouches and pulled out the black device.  
  
“Hello?” he asked into the mouthpiece after starting the call.  
  
_“Noctis, did you and Niveus manage to find Madame Akemi?”_ came Ignis' voice over the other end. Noctis raised a hand to place over his other ear. The signal was not so good in the area, and so it was hard to hear his friend.  
  
“Yeah, we found her.” Quickly, his eyes darted up towards the level the fortune teller resided on. “Just finished with her a few moments ago, actually.” It was not the truth, but it was the version he would be sticking to when telling his friends about it.  
  
_“Did she manage to give any useful information?”  
_  
“Maybe...” Noctis ran over the fortune she had told them in his mind again, making sure he had not forgotten any of it. His eyes drifted onto Niveus, who was once again engaged in simply soaking in the sights of the city. Finding out she had no future... That was not a part of the fortune his friends had to know about. “I'll let you know when we meet back up. What about you guys? Find anything we can use?”  
  
_“_ _I think so. But whether we can use it or not, it's all we managed to get while asking people. Meet us back at the entrance of the inn.”  
_  
“All right. We'll be a bit, though.” His blue eyes darted back up to the level where the inn was built. From here, it looked very far away. A silent groan escaped him. It was the downside from having come all the way to the ground level. Though, at least now he did not have to take one of the precarious rope bridges to reach the other side of the ravine. At ground level, both sides were connected. “Madame Akemi's place was pretty far down...” Once again, it was not the truth, but rather what he would only tell his friends.  
  
_“_ _Enjoy the walk. I don't think I've noticed any elevators or any other way to get between levels other than the stairs...”  
_  
“Huh...” The mouthpiece of the cellphone slipping farther away from his mouth, Noctis peered out across Iwago. Just as Ignis had noted, there did not appear to be any other connection between levels other than the stairways that spotted along the tiers. What was a long walk down would be a fairly long walk back up. Sighing, the Prince looked all the way to the top of Iwago. The entrance and exit to the city were located there, after all. “They really should look into that... See you soon.” Pulling his cellphone away from his ear, Noctis swiftly ended the call. He placed the device back in his pouch before looking towards Niveus. “C'mon, the others will be waiting back at the inn.”  
  
Pulling his gloves back snugly onto to his hands, Noctis started for the nearest staircase. It definitely felt much longer going up rather than taking them down. But still, up through the levels they climbed until they finally reached where the inn lay. The walkways were crowded once again, and Noctis kept glancing over his shoulder to make sure Niveus did not get lost behind.  
  
“Hurry it up, Noct!” shouted Prompto, waving his arm high above his head. Noctis frowned somewhat, but still hastened his pace a little. The closer he got to his waiting friends, the more he braced himself for their teasing. “So, you two have a good time?” A sly grin parted Prompto's lips as he placed a thumb to his chin cheekily.  
  
“We got a fortune. I wouldn't exactly call that a 'good time', though.”  
  
“Ah, so she believed you two to be a couple, huh? That's so sweet!” Noctis' frown only deepened. A laugh quickly escaped Prompto. “You know what I love about this?” Moving over to Noctis' side, he slung an arm around the Prince's shoulders. “Even without having been there, I can still make fun of you for it.”  
  
Rather forcefully, Noctis pried Prompto's grip off of him, and took several large strides away. “What did you guys find out?” he questioned, looking over to Ignis and Gladiolus.  
  
“Legends and and old tales, mostly,” began Ignis, removing his glasses to clean them. “It seems that whenever we asked about a gateway, people would bring up some passageway that is said to be located in the Cursed Lands. These lands apparently reside to the east, past the Shi'eum Mountains. The passageway itself is supposed to connect to a shadow world. Whether that refers to the Underworld or not, I can't say.” Calmly, he put his glasses back on. “However...” Noctis found himself gulping nervously. He did not like the sound of that one word. “No one has made it across the mountains in many, many generations.”  
  
“Yeah, it's no wonder their name means _death_ ,” interjected Gladiolus.  
  
“The majority of those that do attempt to cross are never seen from again. The few that return only do so because they never got very far before turning around. Even airships are unable to cross the mountain range. It seems that torrent winds stop even the strongest of ships.”  
  
Noctis rubbed the back of his neck, soaking in the information his friends had gathered. “Well, we never did expect this to be easy...”  
  
“So what was it you found out in your fortune?”  
  
Clearing his throat, Noctis recited the fortune Madame Akemi had foretold. Already, thanks to hearing the information his friends had gathered, he believed more that what she had told them was the key to the puzzle.  
  
“Death?” questioned Prompto. “As in _death_ death?”  
  
“Death generally means that,” Gladiolus dryly remarked.  
  
“Whoa, whoa man!” Raising his hands, Prompto made a large X with them. “If we're gonna die on this journey, maybe we should take a few steps back and rethink our plan here. We won't do anyone any good if we're _dead_.”  
  
“Actually, I think this death is just what we want,” mused Ignis, his chin cupped pensively in his hand.  
  
His eyes widening, Prompto stared at Ignis as though the adviser had grown an extra set of limbs. “Okay, I already know you've gone insane from even _suggesting_ we should try to get to the Underworld in the _first_ place....but _seriously_? We _want_ this death?”  
  
As calm as ever, Ignis merely shifted his gaze in the direction of the blond. “When we are trying to get to the land of the _dead_ , then yes, death awaiting us is a good thing. Judging from what she said, it seems we need to cross the mountains and head further east and find the Gates. It would seem the legends of the passageway in the Cursed Lands might actually be true.”  
  
“Yeah, or she could have meant something else completely! Like that we die if we attempt to cross the mountains, and the Gates open up and we're taken to the Underworld where all the previously dead people greet us oh so warmly. I would really, _really_ hate it if I were to die and be unable to come back. In fact, I just don't want to die. _Period_.”  
  
“You don't have to come,” noted Noctis, his mind still mulling over the fortune Madame Akemi had given them. His shoulders falling in surprise, Prompto looked to the Prince. “That goes for you two, as well. The fortune was mine...” His eyes flickered over to the white-haired woman in their party for a second. “...Was _ours_... There was nothing in it saying you guys had to come. If you would rather return home now, then I won't stop you...” It was hard for him to say, but Noctis meant every word. It was his fate that was to be decided in the Underworld, not his friends. He did not want to put them in any more danger than necessary.  
  
A single laugh escaped Gladiolus. Looking up, Noctis watched his scarred friend come to his side and place a strong hand on his shoulder. “I may just be a member of the City Guard, but if I want to get promoted any further, it's best I start protecting the royal family. You need at least someone else to help watch your back as long as you can't use your powers properly.”  
  
“Though I don't doubt you'd be able to get to the Underworld, once there, you would probably take one wrong turn and be lost forever.” Crossing his arms, Ignis let out a soft sigh. “You'll still need an adviser with you. Face it, you can be quite bad when it comes to planning things on your own.”An amused smirk creeped up across his face.  
  
“I know I may complain a lot,” sighed Prompto, throwing his arms behind his head. “But you should also know that I'll stick with you wherever you decide to go, though I may not agree with it, even to the depths of the Underworld itself. Which, coincidentally, is where we're headed. So I think that works out kinda nicely, don't you?” Letting out a quick laugh, Noctis nodded at his blond friend.  
  
Silently, he then looked towards Niveus. Though Madame Akemi had told her her future had not been in the fortune, as long as she was bound to the Crystal Shards, her present future was intertwined completely with Noctis'. That, in a way, was at least some form of a future for her.  
  
“Then let's restock supplies before we head to the Underworld.” Noctis blinked slowly at what he had just said. “Never in my entire life did I think I'd ever say _that_.”  
  
“Yes, well, considering none of us ever thought the Crystal would decide to _shatter_ and send its shards all over the damn place, it's really not that surprising any more.”  
  
“This coming from the guy who still finds things we see on our journey to be weird?” noted Ignis.  
  
“Hey! Weird is still weird, no matter what!”  
  
As his friends began to bicker once again around him, Noctis stared up past the tiers of Iwago and towards the Shi'eum Mountains that rose in the distance. Though they had already come a long way, there was still much farther for them to go. Even if they made it to the Underworld, there was no telling what would be lying in the shadows.

It was time to find out what was waiting for him in his future.


	16. Solace

Snow crunched beneath his black boots. It was the whitest snow any of them had seen in their life. Undisturbed for a very long time, each snowflake that rested on the surface was allowed to glisten in the sunlight. It was a silent beauty, one broken only by the noise of their footsteps and breathing. Noctis stared up at the sides of the mountains that continued to rise high above them. More snow resided up there, some hanging rather precariously over edges of rock. He tried very carefully not to create too much noise for the fear of causing an avalanche began to prickle in his mind.

Each step he took was tentative. There was no simple way for them to tell whether the ground before them was going to be solid, or reveal itself to be an opening for a chasm. Already, they had found out just how dangerous one of those chasms could be. The moment his foot began to sink deeper into the snow than Noctis had expected, he felt his heart begin to race. Only when his foot came into contact with solid ground did he have a chance to relax before the process was repeated.

“Are we sure this is the right way?” asked Gladiolus.

“We're heading east, that's all we can do,” panted Ignis. A soft curse escaped him, and Noctis looked over to his friend in time to see him shaking his foot. Some snow must have gotten into his shoes. None of them were safe from that little annoyance.

“Too bad there aren't signs that say 'This way', or even 'Danger!'. Y'know, something like that would be quite helpful about now.” Prompto sniffed lightly, checking to make sure his shotgun was still in working condition in the cold. While temperatures were not as bad as when they had to trek through the blizzard all those weeks ago, it was still far from comfortable conditions. “But I guess when people are dying out here, they wouldn't really have time to do that, huh?”

A weak laugh escaped Noctis. “Who knows, maybe we'll find an 'Aarrrgghh', carved into some rock face instead.”

“Noct?”

The Prince slowed down, wary of his friend's tone. “Yes?”

“Did you just make a joke?”

Noctis' brow furrowed in annoyance. “Yeah...”

“That's great!” A cry of surprise came from Noctis as soon as he unexpectedly felt Prompto's arm sling around his shoulders. Staggering a few more steps forward than he would have liked, Noctis tried to hush his friend. The blond's cry of joy had been too loud for Noctis' liking considering their current situation. “Right, right, sorry...” Clearing his throat, Prompto made sure to keep his voice quieter. “It's just that you've been rather gloomy since the Crystal shattered.”

“Gee, I wonder why _that_ was the case,” remarked Noctis, giving his friend a flat stare.

“I know, I know.” Prompto let out an exasperated sigh. “You've had a _relatively_ valid reason for being so grumpy lately. But still, it's good to see a bit of your old self back.” Before the Prince had a chance to do anything else, Prompto ruffled up his dark hair and bolted off to the head of the group. Laughter rang out cheerily from the blond. While normally Noctis would chase after his friend, all he could do was look around nervously to make sure no snow had become unsettled by the loud voice.

“Hey, Prompto, you don't want to go running too far ahead! What if you find a new chasm and we're not around to save your sorry ass?”

Coming to a sudden halt, Prompto tried his hardest to keep from falling over. He looked at the immediate area in front of where he stood, and, after pausing for a moment, began to slowly retrace his steps back towards the rest of the group. It was impossible for Noctis to hold back a chuckle in amusement.

Day drifted into evening, and evening drifted into night. With that change, it became very difficult for them to continue trekking on through the unknown passageways of the mountain. In the cold darkness, there was no telling what sort of danger could sneak up on them. Refuge had been found in the fading light. It was only a simple area against the mountainside that provided decent shelter against the wind. And, once a fire was lit, it allowed them to stay warm. With there not being much, if anything, for them to do, Noctis and his friends soon drifted off to sleep.

Nightmares unsettled the Prince once more. There was no escaping them. As long as there were still shards out there for them to find, he knew the nightmares would not leave him alone. Still that crystalline figure cried out to him for help with its voiceless plea. Still it shattered into an uncountable amount of pieces the moment he neared it. Still he had failed. It was always the same. Sleep would elude him for yet another night.

Running a hand down his face, Noctis slowly opened his eyes. The magical flames Ignis had created continued to flicker on through the night, illuminating their immediate surroundings. With a sigh, he looked at each of his friends enviously. At least they were able to get a good night's rest. Noctis paused as he realized something: where was Niveus? Pushing himself up quickly, the Prince looked around for the white-haired woman. She was no longer with them. Cursing under his breath, he tried to make sense of the footprints in the nearby snow.

A single pair led off in a different direction from the mass of footprints. Following them, Noctis crossed his arms across his chest to keep his body heat with him as he slipped away from the magical fire. He could only hope she had not gotten into any trouble since going off on her own. The warm light from the fire slipped away the farther he got from it. The coldness of the night settled in and began to cling to his exposed skin. He would be happy when they finally crossed the Shi'eum Mountains, and that would not happen soon enough for his liking. When he began to wonder just how far Niveus could have gone, he saw a lone figure standing in the snow.

Standing as still as a statue, she stared up at the heavens. Out here, the light from the fire could not reach them, leaving their surroundings to only be illuminated from the light above. A soft sigh of relief escaped Noctis when he saw that she was all right. Slowly, he stayed close to her footprints, since he knew those areas were safe, as he headed towards her.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked once he reached her side. The Prince shivered once more before allowing his arms to drop to his sides.

Not having been startled at all, Niveus glanced towards Noctis. Her pale eyes studied him for a moment before she returned to staring back up at the sky beyond the mountain peaks. “Enjoying the night's display.” Noctis opened his mouth to ask what it was she had meant by that, but was cut short. Raising an explanatory hand, Niveus pointed towards the sky. “I never knew there were so many...”

At last, Noctis looked upwards, and let out a soft gasp. Living in a city as he did, he was lucky to see, at most, a few stars on a cloudless night. When the time allowed him to be further away from his home at night, more stars were visible in the darkened sky. But even then, it was still only a fraction of the amount he knew to be out there, for he was never far enough away from one city or another to see a night sky free of other lights. In fact, it was in searching for the shards that he was able to see what a night sky was like away from cities or towns, like when they had travelled across the Chaahng Ocean.

But this... He had never expected to ever see such a sea of stars above him.

The dark-haired Prince stared up in wonder. It was no surprise now why he had been able to see so well despite being far away from their fire. The moon was only a sliver that night, and only a few wisps of clouds were scattered across the sky. Thanks to that, the stars were able to shine on in all their glory. A sigh of relaxation escaped him, his warm breath quickly condensing before him in the cold night. He knew already that he would not forget the sight before him.

“You like watching it, don't you.”

Blinking in surprise, Noctis pulled his gaze away from the starry sky and focused on Niveus. The light from the stars was reflected perfectly in her pale eyes that were still glued on the heavens. He had not expected to hear a statement like that from her. A question, maybe, but hers had clearly been a statement.

“Watch what?” he asked in return, slightly befuddled.

The faintest of smiles tugged at the corner of her mouth as she tilted her head so her pale eyes could settle on him. With their natural paleness, that was still somewhat unsettling, the light from the stars nearly made them glow in the night. Her gaze remained locked with his for only a second before she tossed her head back in the direction of the open sky.

“The night sky.” Calmly, she clasped her hands behind her back. That faint smile widened slightly as she continued to stare upwards past the mountain peaks. “It's something I've noticed since joining you. Whenever possible, you always seem to be watching the night sky. Why is that?” As her question fell into the air, Niveus' gaze shifted back to Noctis.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Noctis quickly looked up to the sky himself. Not even his closest friends knew how much he enjoyed to watch the night sky (or, if they did, they never let on), yet she had noticed it within a few months. Why _did_ he enjoy studying the night sky so? Brow furrowing, he tried to figure out an answer as much for himself as for her. Never had he given it such thought before. All he knew was that he simply liked it.

“The night sky...” he repeated before trying to swallow his nervousness away. “It's...” A wry laugh escaped him before he gave a one-sided grin. The answer was right there. “It's consistent. Everything can be plotted across the sky as the stars rise in the east, and set in the west—just like the sun. Even the moon's course and actions are known to a precision as it waxes and wanes. The night sky is...everything the people in this world aren't.” A long sigh escaped the Prince. “It will always be there... Never changing...”

Allowing his blue eyes to close, Noctis tried to make sure that the image of all the stars was etched forever into his memory. When he looked back to the night sky, he still could not help but marvel at just how many stars were visible. He did not believe he would get a chance to see the night sky like this ever again.

“I find myself liking it too. Mainly the stars...” Her voice was softer than usual. Much like he was doing, Niveus studied the night sky. Her star-lit eyes continued to survey as much of the open sky as they could see. “They...remind me of the Crystal Shards, actually...” A single chuckle escaped her. “Maybe...maybe that's why I like them.” Holding out her hands, her smile widened as she reached out towards the night sky. “Part of me wants to just try and grab them... That way, your Crystal will be restored...”

Noctis' attention shifted down to the familiar pendant that still hung from Niveus' neck. A frown of regret tugged at his lips as he thought about it. She still wanted to help them as much as she could, despite not knowing what would happen to her when it was all over. Clearing his throat, the Prince pushed such thoughts from his mind and looked back to the lights that shone in the night sky.

“It's funny you think that, y'know.” Without looking, he knew a confused expression had returned to her face. “Some people believe that the Crystals actually come from the stars; that they...fell from the heavens as gifts.” Old legends and myths resurfaced from his memories. It may have been a while since he thought about them, but he had always enjoyed the old tales. “Actually, that's probably my favourite of the theories.”

“There are more?”

Shrugging lightly, Noctis looked over to a surprised Niveus. “While anyone can come up with their own theory, I guess, there are a few older ones that have survived the long years. The Crystals having come from the heavens is one. Another is that they were actually formed in the earth, like other gems. The people that thought that up had no imagination, seriously...” He sighed, momentarily frowning. When his thoughts came to the final theory that concerned the origins of the Crystals, he felt a shiver travel up his spine. That shiver, however, was not from the cold. “Then there's the one that most people seem to believe: the Crystals were the physical manifestation of The Light.”

A bitter taste rose in his mouth at the thought. Knowing that the majority of people believed in something that was simply _wrong_ did not sit well with him. People were fools to believe such a thing. Granted, he had once been foolish too, but no more. Ever since _that_ day, he knew better. No longer did the clouds of confusion surround him. He could see the truth...and it did not comfort him.

“They have no idea how wrong they are,” he muttered coldly, his hands slowly forming tight fists. “The Light is _not_ the same as the Crystal!” Noctis never liked thinking that people would even consider the two forces as being the same. To have his Crystal, the eternal guardian to his home and people, compared to...to _that_ infuriated him.

The soft voice of Niveus rose back into the air, momentarily drawing Noctis from his frustration. “If they are not the same, then why do people still believe that they are?”

Sighing to calm his nerves, Noctis glanced to the pale woman. “Because most people don't know any better.” As he crossed his arms, the Prince stared back at the sky. He knew he should not get so upset over what people thought, but it still annoyed him. Even the majority of his people, those who were protected by the very last Crystal, did not know the truth. That, most of all, felt like an insult to him, not only for being of the royal family, but also a Protector, one who was bound to the Crystal itself. “They merely believe what the old legends say since there's nothing else for them. Few are able to see The Light, to use its power, to somewhat understand it. Even fewer now can use the power of the Crystals; they're the only ones who can even begin to comprehend what it is. As far as seeing both The Light and being able to use the power of the Crystal... I actually can't think of any person in history who's had both the blessing and the curse at once...” A blessing and a curse... That is what Noctis saw himself as: both blessed by the Crystal and cursed by The Light.

“I'm sorry...”

Noctis flinched when he heard Niveus' voice. Now whenever he heard her apologize, he immediately thought that _he_ should be the one apologizing for something instead. What had he done now? He wracked his mind trying to think of what he could have possibly done, or not done, that would require him to apologize.

“Cid mentioned when he was explaining about Etro that only those who nearly passed into the Underworld are given the power of The Light. A near-death experience, as he put it... I can't imagine a near-death experience being very pleasant. I'm sorry, for it must have been a horrible experience to go through...”

Opening his mouth to say something in response, Noctis could only produce an odd noise. He had not expected such empathy from her. Then, he began to feel slightly guilty for thinking she had been apologizing for something rather than out of concern. As he pursed his lips together, the Prince stared down at the snow that glittered in the starlight. A horrible experience... That felt somewhat like an understatement to him.

“I may not remember all of it, but...even what I can remember is too much.” Closing his eyes, Noctis tried to push back the images that were resurfacing in his mind. Flashes of what he remembered were stirred up, and would not be leaving him soon. Part of him was wishing he had returned to sleep to face the nightmares rather than to relive that moment. “It was an accident...I think. I really don't remember myself, just what others have told me. It had all happened so fast. My mother...she was there too. But she...” His voice wavered as he remembered. “She died, trying to protect me...”

His knuckles turned white beneath his gloves as he clenched them into fists. Queen of Lucis, his mother had been a wonderful woman. She had been the one to tell him the old tales and legends that he had adored hearing as a child. Thanks to her, he had even been _excited_ to being the next heir to the Caelum Dynasty...for a time. Those feelings of joy she had given him, they had faded away...along with his memories of her. No, he did not forget her completely. With paintings and various photos of her, it was impossible to forget exactly what she looked like. But it was _who_ she was that Noctis had begun to forget. No longer could he remember the exact tone of her voice. No longer could he remember the sound of her laugh that managed to penetrate even his father's defences. No longer could he remember the smile that had been on her face whenever she told him the stories he wanted to hear at night. She was slipping away, and that scared him.

“But, despite her efforts...” Noctis started up again once he cleared his throat. He was thankful that Niveus remained as quiet as ever. It was that silence that allowed him to talk so...openly. “I still died.”

The words were foreign and alien, even to him. He had died. It was not something everyone could say for themselves. Death... Usually, it meant the end.

“I was legally dead. Just for a few moments, but dead is still dead,” he explained, feeling her confused gaze. “Only a few know of it.” Noctis loosely tossed his head in the direction of where his friends still slept. “Not even they know. Though the records claim it was only a few minutes, it still feels like an eternity had passed then whenever I try to remember.” Unlike the fast flashes he got whenever memories of the accident rose, the memories of his death were hazy and hard to discern one from the next. It was as though he was not supposed to remember them. The realm of the Underworld was not a place for the living to know. “I saw the Gates, and what lay on the other side of them. I only have a vague recollection of the Underworld. I don't even know how far I got before I was pulled back.” A pitiful wry laugh escaped him. “And here I am trying to get back to that place...”

“And so, since then, you've been able to see The Light?”

A shiver crawled up Noctis' spine at the thought. Hauntingly beautiful, The Light managed to chill his body to the core whenever he saw it. Seeing it after Hitomi's death had been the worst. It was as though The Light mocked him. Every time he saw it was simply a reminder to that day. Those souls that passed into the Underworld would not return...

“I can see it...and use its power.” Grimly, Noctis stared down at his hands. “But I promised myself that I would never use the power of The Light. That power comes from those who are _dead_ ...from my _mother_ ... I-I can't bring myself to use The Light at all. The feeling of _death_ that surrounds it is too much for me.”

“If only more people could understand.”

“I doubt they'd be able to...” Sighing once more, Noctis ran a hand down his face. “Hell, even _I_ don't really understand. I just know they're different...”

“Still... To have died like that, and to have lost your own mother... I'm so—”

“There's no need to apologize,” he quickly said, cutting her off. It was not as though he did not appreciate her sentiment, the very opposite. He just could not take hearing her apologize again. It made him feel like there was something he then needed to apologize for. That loop was not something he wanted. “But, y'know, it wasn't just my mother I lost then. It was my father, too.”

“You're father's dead?” she asked with a light gasp.

“No! No, no, no. Not like that,” he reassured her. To have lost both his parents like that, he could not imagine what it would have been like. “But ever since my mother died, he just...hasn't been the same.” The Prince did not have a lot of memories with his father from when he was younger, but he did remember seeing King Caelum smile more. Ever since his mother died, there was no happiness left in his father. Instead, whenever Regis looked at his son, it was with _that_ _look_. That look was the only insight Noctis had any more into his father's true feelings. “I know it might just be me seeing things that aren't there... But I swear, whenever he looks at me, I always get the same feeling: that he would have rather had my mother live, and that I had been the one to die in her place...”

Only the cold breeze blowing past them created any noise for him to hear. A father... For over ten years now, Noctis had been unable to call Regis thusly. As long as that rift existed between them, Noctis would be unable to see his King as a father.

“I can see why you don't like The Light...” said Niveus after a few moments. “It reminds you of all you've lost...”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Noctis stared back up at the sea of stars. They really did glint like the Crystal Shards they had collected. “But...” he started, a thought slowly dawning on him. “I've always had the Crystal... It's been the one constant thing in my life.” He wanted to laugh just then, but held back the urge. “You could say...it's been my night sky.”

Relaxation was able to return to the Prince. After all the memories that had been stirred up, just thinking about the Crystal was able to bring a sense of peace back to his mind. Unlike previous times on the journey, he did not begin to doubt whether or not they would be able to restore the ancient guardian. No. In fact, this time, it only strengthened his desire to find the remaining shards so that the Crystal would once again be whole. After all it had done for him, Noctis was now willing to face the Underworld again to retrieve the final shards. It was time he repaid some of the debt he owed the Crystal.

“C'mon, we should get some sleep now.” Turning to head back to their small shelter, Noctis fully expected Niveus to follow without a word.

“I'd like to stay here... Just a bit longer...”

The Prince blinked and looked over his shoulder towards the pale woman. All he saw was her white hair that danced on the soft breeze as she continued to stare up at the sky. He could not be certain, but Noctis swore that she was talking about more than just staying out to watch the stars.

“All right. Just...don't stay out for too long.” Nodding, mostly to himself, since Niveus still did not look towards him, Noctis headed back off in the direction of his friends. The light from the stars and moon still illuminated their surroundings to such a degree that it was no challenge to find his footprints from earlier. Before he got too far, the dark-haired Prince slowed to a stop. “Hey, Niveus?” he called out, turning back around. Only then did the pale woman look over her shoulder towards him. “Thanks.”

She tilted her head slightly, as she always did when something confused her. “What for?”

“For...” Noctis licked his lips, wondering why he _was_ thanking her. Several reasons trickled to the surface, actually. But, there was only one he could bring himself to say: “For listening.”

 

* * *

 

Trekking onward, Noctis could only wonder how much farther it would be till they passed the mountains. Still he peered around, keeping an eye out for anything that might be a problem for their journey. Snow continued to crunch beneath his feet before they would sink deeper than he had been expecting. He would not be sad when they would finally see the Shi'eum Mountains behind them.

“What was that?” came Prompto, quickly stopping.

“What was _what_?”

“That rumbling noise! Didn't you hear it?”

A bark of a laugh escaped Gladiolus. He quickly clamped a hand over his mouth when he saw the look Noctis gave him for having laughed too loud for their surroundings. “I think that may have been my stomach you heard instead,” he sighed out before stretching. “Maybe we should stop for lu—”

A low rumbling noise rolled over the mountains towards them. Freezing completely still, Noctis watched as a thin layer of snow rolled down part of the mountainside above them. Fear began to cling to Noctis. He did not believe they would be able to handle the force of an avalanche in their current environment. The rumbling returned, this time closer, and he could now distinguish between it and a natural rumble. Whatever this was, it was not the rumble that preceded an avalanche...

Swallowing nervously, Noctis peered around to find the source of the noise. The rumbling came again, this time closer, and of a different pitch. What they had thought to be some noise created by the landscape around them turned out to be nothing else but the roar of a monster. It rose from behind a nearby cliff. Already appearing to be the size of a behemoth, the monster more than quadrupled in size as a pair of wings stretched open.

“Well... I think that might be one of the reasons why not so many people make it across these mountains,” gulped Prompto.

Another roar escaped the blue-tinted monster. The massive wings flapped several times to produce enough lift so that the beast could rise up off of the cliff. Cursing under his breath, Noctis reached back and drew forth his sword. He was glad he readied himself when he did, for the monster reached their side in a blink of an eye. Noctis and his friends cried out in surprise before they barely managed to dodge out of the way of the beast's massive talons.

White snow spewed up into the air as the beasts' talons scraped along the ground where they had been moments before. An ear-splitting screech escaped the monster as it flew up into the air to round about for another attack. Noctis had to feel around in the snow for a moment before he found the hilt of the sword that had fallen from his grasp. With it back in hand, he pushed himself up and faced the monster, trying to think of anything he could do that would be useful.

A flame burst into existence right in front of the monster's face. The spell that Noctis had hoped would cause the monster to, at the very least, swerve away did nothing to hinder the beast's movements. He could hear Ignis curse from behind, showing just how frustrated his bespectacled friend was at his spell having no effect. As the beast continued to close in on them again, Noctis readied himself as much as he could. From the corner of his eye, he saw Gladiolus taking up position not too far from him.

The massive beast rushed towards them. Moving slower than he would have liked while in the snow, Noctis barely got out of the path of the talons. Though he was safe from them, the beast was not safe from him. Bringing his sword up, he sliced at the monster's nearest leg with all his might. What would have torn through any average monster's hide had no effect on the beast before them. Noctis' frustration was matched in Gladiolus' curse, for he had tried a similar attack. Neither magic nor their physical attacks seemed to have any luck on the monster's impervious hide.

“Prompto! Aim for its wings!” ordered Ignis.

“I was about to!” Bringing his shotgun up, their blond friend took aim at the monster that reared around for another pass. With his precision aiming, Prompto fired a shot straight at the monster's wings. Their hopes fell as even that had no effect on the beast.

This time, Noctis could not get out of the way fast enough. The beast's foul breath surrounded him as his sword was all that was between him and being eaten. Snow engulfed him as he was pushed back from the force of the beast's attack. A sudden cry pierced the air, and it quickly recoiled from Noctis and his sword. Niveus fell not too far from his side, the green ichor of the beast dripping from her weapon. Looking back at the monster as it tried to fly back to a safer distance to recuperate, Noctis saw that one of its eyes was weeping the same ichor.

“I don't think we'll be able to get in a shot like that again,” huffed Gladiolus, coming over to help Noctis and Niveus up before the monster returned.

“We need to think of a new plan,” reasoned Prompto, not once lowering his shotgun.

“Ignis, any ideas?” Noctis brushed show off his shoulders as he stared expectantly at his bespectacled friend.

“One, but I don't think you'd like it.”

“There's no time to worry about that! What is it?”

“We bring down the mountain on top of the beast.”

“Are you kidding!” hissed Prompto. “That'll kill _us_ before the monster!”

“Not if we take shelter.” Still keeping a cold eye on the beast, Ignis pointed back to a section of the mountain pass ahead of where they were. Noctis judged the area Ignis gestured to, and quickly tried to weigh the pros and cons of his idea. A roar from the monster settled the matter.

“Dammit! Hurry up and take shelter! I'll keep it distracted!”

“What the? Why shou—”

“Because I can teleport away once the avalanche starts! Now get going!” Shoving at Prompto, who happened to be the closest to him, he tried to get his friends moving. Rounding about himself, Noctis started off in the opposite direction. He trudged as quickly as he could through the deep snow, calling out towards the monster so that it would be more focused on him rather than his friends. But, he soon realized, he was not alone. “Niveus!” he cried out in surprise when he saw the pale woman by his side. “You were meant to take shelter with the others!”

“I won't be able to help the others in starting this avalanche,” she informed him, rather calmly considering their current situation. “And this way, the Crystal Shards will be right with you.”

Noctis merely grunted in annoyance. Not only was there no time to argue with her, but he could not think of any argument at all. Together they ran towards an opposing side of the mountain. From there, he looked back to where his friends had taken shelter, and hoped that an avalanche here would be safe enough. A piercing roar above them drew Noctis' attention to the beast that hung in the sky.

No longer able to simply swoop down at them now that they were against the side of the mountain, the beast lowered itself onto the ground before them. It gave a low hiss at them, ichor no longer seeping from its wounded eye as it began to near them.

“ _Now_!” yelled Noctis as loud as he could, keeping his sword at the ready. His friends did all they could to help start an avalanche above them. Magic and bullets showered the mountainside above where he and Niveus waited. A low rumbling filled the air, and this time, it was not from some other beast. Light snow began to fall down on them, and Noctis craned his head up. The avalanche had started.

Reaching out, the Prince grasped Niveus' arm firmly. As he closed his eyes to focus on the power of the Crystal, the last image he saw was that of the beast trying to return to the sky. Shadows fell over them as the entire mountainside began to give way. Coldness engulfed them just before he felt them whisked away by his teleportation ability.

As soon as ground was once again beneath his feet, Noctis was pulled with such force that he was sent toppling over. Cold snow stung his face before he pushed himself back up. The muffled cries of the monster were barely heard as the avalanche roared along.

“I think we got it,” smirked Prompto dusting some snow off his own shoulders. Noctis stared over at his friends who continued to inch even further back to put more distance between them and the avalanche that was threatening to round the side of their shelter. Snow rushed by faster than any river, and Noctis could only stare on in marvel as he too began to move further back.

He sighed in relief, the monster's cries no longer audible. “Well, that's another plan you can mark down as a success,” grinned Noctis, turning around to nod at Ignis. As his friends slipped into his field of vision again, a shadow spread over all of them. His eyes widening in fear, the Prince looked upward. Snow. More snow. There was so much of it. All of what he saw and more came crashing down onto them, his cries of protest muffled by the white substance.

Cold and darkness consumed him. For a moment, he thought he once again saw the Gates of the Underworld before him...beckoning him onward...

 


	17. Mother

_ A silent cry of despair escaped Noctis as the Crystal shattered before him yet another time. It was not so much the repetition of the same nightmare again and again that tore at him, but the fact that he remembered every single one that slipped by. Nothing he could do changed the outcome. As he sank to his knees, he briefly wondered if he should just give up—to surrender to the pointless nightmare. But, even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew he could not escape the indescribable bond that he had with the Crystal. It was in trouble, and he would have to come to its aid. _

_His brow furrowed in confusion. Something was not right. Where was the plea of the Crystal? Noctis should have heard the voiceless cries for help as the nightmare started up again. But this time...there was nothing. Only darkness met his vision as he swiftly stood back up. Licking his lips apprehensively, Noctis swivelled around, trying to find out just why it was different._

_There was nothing until he looked back down. Blades of grass grew up. They had never been there before. Bending over, Noctis brushed his hand over the grass. So odd. And yet...it was comforting, in a way. Finally, something was different. Whether the grass was the cause or the effect of that difference, he could not yet say._

_ When he straightened once again, Noctis let out a sudden gasp. No longer was he engulfed by darkness, like in all his other nightmares. A complete  _ forest _ now surrounded him. Green leaves glowed in a golden light that illuminated the dense forest. The ground was soft beneath his feet as he staggered back in surprise at the change in his surroundings. Everything was so...so bright. So warm. So comforting. _

_Closing his eyes, Noctis breathed in deeply. He could get used to his nightmares turning into this... His eyes snapped open suddenly as he remembered Hitomi. Without knowing the cause of what had made the change, he could not give in to it._

_The Prince had not walked more than ten steps before something caught his attention. Through the maze of thick tree trunks, a certain area of the glowing light grew brighter. Part of him told him to stay away, but a greater part of him could not ignore it. Drawn to the glow, Noctis set off slowly towards it._

_Even before he got close to the source of the glow, he already felt much warmer and much more relaxed than he had earlier. It was as though everything in this place wanted him to feel at rest. As much as he wanted to remain suspicious, to remain alert, he could no longer do so. His defences had already melted away._

_ A figure. When he finally neared the source of the glow, he could make out the graceful figure of a tall woman. The glow, it came  _ from _ her. Her body radiated the warm light as she tended to the forest. The aura around her felt...otherworldly. Though humanoid in appearance, she was definitely not human. _

_Noctis' throat suddenly became dry. He began to perspire, his heart rate quickening. Whoever she was, she had just turned towards the dark-haired Prince. When he saw her, there was only one thought that entered his mind:  
“Mother...?”_

Jerking his head up, Noctis breathed in sharply. It had been such an odd turn of events from his usual nightmare. Before the memories started to slip away, he tried his hardest to etch each one into his mind. There had to be a reason for the change, and if he was to figure out why, he needed to remember as much detail as possible. Sighing out in annoyance, Noctis allowed his head to fall back to the soft pillow. That was strange... Pulling back quickly, Noctis stared at what was before him. Sure enough, it was a pillow. Unless the world had completely thrown logic out the window, there should not have been a pillow beneath him after having been in an avalanche.

The Prince swiftly sat up from his bed, panic nearly taking hold of him. Eyes darting around, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. The bed. The nightstand. The desk. The bookshelf. Everything was so neat and tidy inside the room. The furnishings themselves looked rather normal, but the design of the room was what instead stood out to Noctis.

Walls were made out of intertwining branches that still had large green leaves growing off of them. Head craning back, he saw that the ceiling was of a similar...design, for lack of a better word.

Somewhat unsettled, Noctis swung his legs over the edge of the bed so he could get up and take a closer look at the foreign room. He groaned out once he felt just how sore and stiff his body was. Muscles cried in protest, but he tried his best to ignore them. Figuring out where he now was took priority over all else at that moment. A noise of surprise suddenly escaped him. What he had thought to be a simple carpeted floor turned out to be nothing other than moss. He then chuckled slightly, finding the soft greenery to be rather comforting.

“You're awake. Certainly took you long enough.” Noctis bolted upright at the sudden voice. It belonged to none of his friends, that much he could tell before he saw the person. Reaching out, he then cursed under his breath when his sword did not appear at his call. Quickly glancing around, he did not see his weapon anywhere near him either. “Relax. There's nothing you need to be concerned about for now.”

His brow knotting together, Noctis glanced up to the man that stood by the door of the room. Black hair nearly hid a striking pair of green eyes that peered at the Prince. He tried his best not to glance away, but he was finding it rather difficult to hold the stranger's gaze. “For now?” he curtly asked back before looking around the room again.

“It is still undecided what is to be done with you.” The stranger narrowed his gaze slightly, as if skeptic of the Prince. Noctis could not help but think that feeling was mutual. “But that shall be taken care of momentarily. Come along.”

Pursing his lips together, Noctis clenched his hands before grudgingly following the man. His first impressions were not very good. “Hey, where are my boots?”

“They won't be needed where you're going. Hurry up!”

After muttering some choice phrases under his breath, Noctis closed the door behind him as he headed out of the room. The floor beneath his feet became uneven. When he looked down, he saw that yet more branches were intertwined to create the hall floor. Even though they were branches, the bark was smooth against his bare feet. Perhaps some of that was thanks to years of use, for he noticed the far edges looked a bit rougher than the rest of the middle. Hurrying up so he would not get lost, Noctis scampered off after the strange man.

After only travelling a few steps, Noctis made a sharp turn down the hall as he followed the man, and found himself before a near-breathtaking sight. What had once been wall mere feet before was now wide archways that allowed the vast expanse of their location to be seen. An ancient city built into the very forest itself spread out before him. Thick trees blocked his view, keeping him from seeing too far, but he could tell that it was a vast forest. Several of those trees had staircases that wound up around their massive trunks, enabling people he saw to travel up, down, and even between the trees.

Briefly, the Prince neared the archways so he could look down. A gulp escaped him. They were quite high in the trees; much higher than he had anticipated. The forest below him had hues of greens, blues, and deep violets. Part of him wondered if that was due to it possibly being night, or if the forest merely always looked like that. Pulling back, Noctis made sure to favour the inside of the winding staircase rather than the outside.

“Where are my friends?” asked Noctis, catching up to the green-eyed man.

“You'll see them soon enough.”

Rolling his eyes back, Noctis sighed in annoyance. His impression of this man was only getting worse by the second. If he had to make an assumption, the Prince believed the green-eyed man had been assigned to this position, rather than volunteering out of the goodness of his heart.

Down and down they went. Fluorescent mosses were kept inside masses of tangled roots, each spaced out evenly and acted like lamps. Their glow was rather impressive, for being from just moss, after all, noted Noctis. The ground finally levelled out before him as they reached the bottom of the winding staircase. A mixture of grass, moss, and other small vegetation was extremely comfortable under his feet. While at first he had been annoyed not to have his boots, now he was able to appreciate not wearing them, for everything was so soft and safe—there really was no need for the footwear.

“So, who are you?” tried the Prince, already tired of not being able to refer to the man by name.

“My name is not of importance to you.”

Noctis sighed once more and ran a hand down his face in annoyance. He merely gave up on trying to extract any more information from the man. It was useless. And Noctis thought  _ he _ could be tight-lipped at times. The other people he saw as they walked on through the foreign city gave Noctis odd looks. If there was more than one walking by, they would most likely lean over to whisper to each other. In that moment, Noctis found himself being rather self-conscious. He cleared his throat, hunched over (as if that would possibly help hide him from the view of others), and fiddled with some of his bangs.

Eventually, the green-eyed man led Noctis into a structure that was built alongside the trunks of several trees. A high roof reached up and looked as though it had grown out of the trees themselves. Intricate carvings of vines and leaves adorned every place that would allow them. It was...beautiful, really. Noctis had never imagined to see such a thriving city built so intertwined with nature.

“Noct! There you are!” The warm greeting actually comforted Noctis after the cold shoulder of the green-eyed man. Seated not too far from the entrance were his friends; all of them seemed well enough off, considering, the last he knew, they had all been caught in the avalanche. Prompto quickly stood to give Noctis a friendly hug. “Sure took you long enough. Get enough beauty sleep there?” Laughing, the blond clapped Noctis on his back, causing the Prince to let out a slight huff.

“Remain here. I shall return shortly.” Bowing his head curtly, the green-eyed man swiftly turned on his heel and left, giving none of them a chance to respond. For a moment, Noctis wondered just what it was that was keeping them there, when he saw the two guards stationed beside the door he had entered through.

“That guy definitely has a stick up his ass,” mumbled Prompto before returning to his seat.

Coughing lightly in response, Noctis then joined his friends. “So do any of you know what's going on here?” he asked, feeling as though he should whisper with the guards present.

“Nothing,” sighed Ignis, pushing his glasses back up. “We were merely told to wait here until everyone was awake.” Crossing his arms, their bespectacled friend gained a pensive look. “Hopefully, we'll find out something soon.”

“Who was the first one here?” questioned Noctis. Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto all pointed to Niveus. Meekly, the pale-haired woman raised her hand. A wry laugh escaped the Prince. He should have figured as much... “Were you told anything else? Something to give any indication as to why we're here, or what they want with us?”

Niveus shook her head softly. “I'm afraid I was told nothing.” She let out a quiet sigh, her shoulders drooping. “That man that led you here did mumble something, though. All I caught was 'outsiders'... He did not say it in a very... _ friendly _ way, either.”

“Outsiders?” Noctis blinked. Crossing his arms, Noctis leaned back against the seat. “Guess they don't get guests too often...”

“What I'd like to know is  _ how _ we got here,” commented Gladiolus. The scarred man rubbed his neck in annoyance. “I mean, we're definitely no longer in the mountains. And I don't think even if we did tumble down to the base, we would have ended up in this city.”

“And man, what a  _ weird _ city it is.” Prompto shook his head, as though baffled by the very idea of this place.

“I would think ' _ interesting' _ would be a bit more fitting, and polite, considering we are...under their supervision, for now...” remarked Ignis, his eyes darting towards the stationed guards.

Raising a hand, their blond friend lazily waved that matter aside. “Same difference. I just seriously wonder what kind of person came up with the design of this place. And the shoe thing!” An exasperated sigh came out of Prompto in a rush as he lifted up his leg, flexing his bare foot for emphasis. “I mean,  _ really _ ?”

“Aw, man, Prompto! Put that down!” Grabbing his nose with one hand, Gladiolus was quick to swat at Prompto's foot with one of his own. Noctis found himself laughing. Though there had been no foul scent from Prompto's foot, it had still been amusing.

“Perhaps it is whatever is in this forest that has affected their way of living...” Eyes quickly shifted to Niveus. The pale woman, surprisingly, remained calm under all their gazes. Normally, Noctis would have expected her to shift uncomfortably in her seat or something of the like. Instead, she had her chin cupped in her hand, and seemed to be rather focused on the ground, most likely lost in her thoughts.

“There's something in the forest?”

“ _ What's _ in this forest?” Prompto swiftly brought his feet up off the ground, a though it had suddenly turned into a pool of lava.

Glancing up, Niveus blinked in surprise. “You mean...none of you have sensed something in this place?”

Noctis' three friends all shook their heads. When the negative response sank in, they suddenly switched their attention to the dark-haired Prince. For a brief moment, he understood just why Niveus often became so unsettled when all attention fell onto her at once.

“What is it...?” he asked to them, somewhat warily.

“Have you sensed anything?” enquired Ignis. “If Niveus can sense something, but we can't, well...”

“I-I...” Noctis had no answer. From waking up, he had first been too caught up in his dream to notice anything. Then, seeing his room and then the entirety of the forest-city had kept him too amazed to be able to pick out one single thing as odd—all of it had been odd. So he closed his eyes, and tried to sense just what it was that Niveus had mentioned. Even before finding it, he quickly assumed that it might have been what caused his nightmare to shift so suddenly. That would probably be a reasonable assumption. “There is something here...” he muttered, the Prince pulling his mind back to its defences the moment he found it.

“Really? What is it? A Crystal Shard?” questioned Prompto in one breath.

“No...” Pursing his lips together, Noctis tried to make sense of what it was. “It's not a shard...”

A sigh of relief escaped Prompto as he slunk further down in his seat. “That's a relief.”

“Really?” Gladiolus arched an eyebrow questioningly. “I would have figured you'd  _ complain _ about it not being a shard.”

“Usually? Yes. But this time, I'm just happy since it means we didn't actually  _ die _ back there and that this isn't the Underworld. Though, I don't think the Underworld would have been so  _ green _ or  _ leafy _ in the first place...”

“If it's not a shard, can you tell what it is?” questioned Ignis, steering the topic back on course.

Noctis licked his lips, trying to make sense of what appeared to be a part of the forest itself. “It's...”

“It's not more Obruo, is it?” asked Prompto worriedly.

“No, no, no.” The Prince shook his head in reassurance. “Not Obruo. _ Definitely _ not Obruo.” Had it been the ancient weapons that were used for The Light, Noctis would have known right away. “It may not be a Crystal Shard, but it's...”

“It's similar,” finished Niveus. Like him, she seemed to be struggling with how to describe what it was they had sensed. “It's like the Crystal Shards...yet not. It's also...familiar, somehow.” She shook her head lightly. “I'm sorry, it's hard to explain...” Her pale eyes looked up to Noctis, almost searching for approval.

He nodded lightly. “That's how I'dve put it.” Though he may have left out it feeling  _ familiar _ . But, perhaps she had not retracted from it so swiftly as he had done, and had been able to pick up on more. Or maybe it was somehow connected to her lost memories. Noctis could only speculate.

“You may come with me now,” came a voice from the door. Looking up, they all saw the green-eyed man had returned. The expression across his face told them that he did not have much patience for the matter.

“Come here, go there...” Prompto sighed as he stood up, stretching slightly. “You seem to like telling people where to go.”

The man's expression only deepened. “Hurry along.” Swiftly turning on his heel again, he headed back out of the structure. “We don't have all day!”

“Gee, and what if all the people we deal in this city are like him?”

“I highly doubt that would be the case. But...” Ignis sighed lightly. “That would be unfortunate for us...”

Noctis peered at their surroundings once again as they left through the door. Unless the green-eyed man had merely said it as a figure of speech, it had to be day. The Prince was still somewhat surprised by that, for it was rather dark. No rays of sunlight seemed to be able to penetrate the thick canopy. Only the light that was created by the forest itself illuminated their way, giving the entire place an otherworldly feel.

Through the forest they trekked, making sure to stay close behind the green-eyed man so none of them would lose their way. Most of the people that past them still gave Noctis and his friends odd stares, and it continued to make the Prince feel uncomfortable. Whatever it was they had to do, it would not be done with fast enough for his liking. He just wanted them to be back on their way to finding the Gateway. Not to mention, the presence he had sensed...it was starting to unsettle him the more he thought about it.

“Oh, lookit that, another tree-house,” muttered Prompto. In front of them, the green-eyed man let out an annoyed huff, as though Prompto's remark had offended him. He seemed to bristle before starting up the winding staircase that wrapped around the wide tree.

Craning his head back, Noctis tried to see just how high the staircase was. Though he did not know its exact measurement, it certainly looked higher than the one he had first come down. Higher and higher it climbed, some points disappearing through the trunk of the tree before continuing up the other side. Parts of the staircase branched off to nearby trees, connecting the vast forest in such a way that would not have been possible naturally. Up so high that it was nearly lost in the thick canopy, Noctis could see platforms built across the branches. Whatever building it was, it was large enough that it spread out across the distance between several nearby trees, the glow from the fluorescent moss shimmering through the leaves like little stars.

“Seriously, has  _ anyone _ over here invented the need for elevators?”

“You should consider this a great honour,” retorted the green-eyed man. “It has been quite some time since anyone not of Seiyulae has climbed through the ancient bows.”

“Oh yeah... A great honour  _ and _ a great work-out,” mumbled Prompto under his breath. If the green-eyed man had heard Prompto, he did not act upon it. Silence settled in as they climbed the tall tree. Few people passed them along the staircase, and so Noctis was allowed a little bit of time to relax. But that moment did not last long at all.

_ You _ ...

Noctis whipped his head around, thinking someone had suddenly spoken behind him. Only Gladiolus and Niveus walked behind, and neither of them looked like they had uttered a single word. Trying to shake it off, Noctis focused back on the staircase before him as he continued up.

_ You should not be... _

His breath quickening, Noctis tried to find the source of the voice. But, no matter where he looked, he could not find the voice that managed to chill him despite the warmth behind it.

_ You have brought an unwanted presence to this place _ ...

“You okay, there, Noct?” questioned Gladiolus. His scarred friend quickened his pace for a few steps, showing concern.

“Hm? Oh, yes. Fine. Fine. Just soaking in more of the scenery.” A nod was used to help disguise his lie. Though a feeble attempt to hide the truth from his friend, Noctis hoped it would at least be enough to make Gladiolus drop the subject. He made a small mental note to give up on trying to see the source of the voice anywhere near them for the next while. A disembodied voice like that that had appeared to come from all over...it had been a useless attempt to look for the source in the first place.

Slowing his pace down slightly, Noctis managed to get in stride beside Niveus. The pale woman continued to walk along normally, not finding Noctis' appearance beside her odd. Ever so slightly, he leaned towards her, hopefully not enough so that Gladiolus would not notice anything.

“Say, Niveus...” he whispered, keeping his attention focused on the stairs before them. From the corner of his eye, Noctis saw the white-haired woman glance to him. It was only for a moment before she quickly looked back ahead, most likely picking up on his desire for discretion. “Have you heard any... _ odd _ voices since waking up in this place?”

“I...can't say that I have,” she replied in a similar hushed tone. “Why do you ask?”

Noctis pursed his lips together in thought for a moment. “Just checking...” Had she been able to hear the bodiless voice, he might have assumed it to be whatever presence they had felt. But now, while he believed that was still a good possibility, he could no longer be as certain as he would have hoped.

“Are you sure you're all right?”

“I'm...” Noctis swiftly choked back his usual re-hashed answer. He was not fine, not now. “I don't know...”

Silence fell back between them as they continued to climb the tree, Noctis pulling away from Niveus. Glancing down past the railing of the staircase, he was amazed at just how high they had climbed. With a look up to the canopy, a disheartened sigh escaped the Prince. There was still a fair distance left.

_ You _ ...

Noctis' own voice caught in his throat. He found it quite a challenge to hide any visible reaction to hearing the disembodied voice. Somehow, he managed to continue on walking, staying as focused as he could on the final stretch of stairs before him.

_ Only death awaits you... _

And the voice was gone. What had once been everywhere...was now nowhere. Noctis blinked a few times, trying to make sense of it. The voice, and the presence he had felt before, were completely gone. They had receded away from him, leaving the Prince rather confused and slightly worried. With a sigh, he looked up and tried to push that matter aside for now. They were nearing the canopy of the trees, and soon he would have to deal with new matters. What would be waiting for them, they did not know.

By the time they reached the end of the winding staircase, Noctis and his friends were nearly out of breath. The green-eyed man, on the other hand, seemed no different from when they had started at the base of the tree. Clearly it took some getting used to this style of living.

“No dallying!” chided the stranger. Noctis let out a quiet sigh after catching his breath. They were led through the halls that were made up of more branches, yet they were somehow crafted to be much more elegant than those they had seen elsewhere in the city.

Noctis stared up in wonder at the rather grand archway that lay before them. Along with the contained moss to act as a light source, the branches that made up the archway also glowed from within, bathing all of them in the fluorescent-blue glow that illuminated the large open platform on the other side. Such an elegant beauty. In Noctis' eyes, it almost rivalled that of the beauty of their Crystal in all its  splendour.

Guards dotted the rim of the platform, their armour rather different from that of those that had stood watch over them down below, leading Noctis to assume that they were of higher rank. Intricate armour glistened in the light, that combined with their stillness made them seem more like statues than guards.

At the far end of the three-tiered platform, there was what appeared to be a throne. Unlike most of the other structures and various furnishings, the throne appeared to be made out of marble. Leaves and vines climbed up the throne, and at times, seemed to be growing right through the white stone. Sitting atop the throne, much to Noctis' surprise, was a young-looking girl, who seemed almost too small for the seat, in both size and responsibility.

“Lady Chunhei, our... _guests_ are here, as you requested.” Stepping forward, the green-eyed man politely knelt before the young woman. Noctis stared up at her, waiting to see how she responded to all of this. He was not certain, but he did suspect that the course of their current situation would be influenced heavily by this girl.

Shifting in the throne momentarily, she leaned forward and nodded at the man, her pin-straight, platinum-blonde hair (at least, Noctis believed it to be blonde, it was hard to tell in the light) falling over her shoulders. “Thank you, Tamotsu,” Her eyes shifted from the man to Noctis and his friends, and the Prince could see the apprehensiveness that was given away by her gaze. “Well...” She licked her lips, another giveaway to the nervousness she must have been feeling. “This is certainly out of the ordinary.” The young girl, who had to have been in her early teens, figured Noctis, slipped from the throne. The mantle she wore, which also seemed designed for someone taller and older, trailed on the ground as she headed towards Noctis and his friends. Her eyes glanced between them before settling on Noctis. “Where is it you're from?”

The dark-haired Prince blinked a few times. It was not hard for him to tell that this Chunhei was not yet familiar with her position of power. All those years of study and sitting in on his father's meetings had helped to somewhat prepare him for the role he would one day have to take. Even just a few moments into their first meeting, Noctis could tell that she had no such experience under her belt.

“Far to the west,” answered Noctis once he glanced at Ignis to attain his friend's thoughts.

The young girl's eyes widened slightly. “From beyond the mountains? I didn't think that was possible.” She glanced to the side, as though something else caught her attention. “But that's not the whole truth...” When she looked back to Noctis, he felt a slight chill crawl up his spine. Though she did not have quite the experience he expected of someone in a ruling position, there was something else. Something that he believed might have been the reason for her status at such a young age. “Where is it  _exactly_ that you're from?” she asked again, this time a bit stronger.

Looking to his would-be adviser, Noctis sought approval from Ignis once again. Even the others shrugged; there was not much they had to lose or gain by telling her the truth. “From beyond the mountains, and beyond the ocean. Our home is Lucis.”

“That must have been quite the journey to come this far.” A light scoff came from Prompto, followed by a slight grunt of pain when Ignis proceeded to kick the blond in his shin. “What is it that brought you all the way here?”

“We're searching for something of ours that was...lost.”

“Pardon me, but where exactly  _is_ here?” questioned Ignis. Chunhei looked to him before her eyes went wide again, this time in embarrassment.

“Oh my, how rude of me!” Quickly, she curtsied before them. Noctis and his friends quickly bowed to return the gesture. “I am Chunhei, the Senae of the great city of Seiyulae.”

“Senae?” repeated Noctis, not accustomed to the foreign term.

“Leader, Chosen One, Guardian, Protector... Call it what you will.” A sigh escaped her, her expression giving away the intimidation she felt at the mere thought of it. “Everyone here looks to me now.” With a shake of her head, Chunhei looked back to Noctis and the others, clasping her hands firmly in front of her. “Are you all feeling better? You were not doing so well when the hunting party found and brought you back. Despite your injuries and state at the time, I'm afraid you were nearly not allowed in.”

“Why was that?” blurted out Noctis rather than thanking her for the hospitality, which might have been a better thing to say.

“Seiyulae is a sacred place! Mere outsiders are not allowed in so readily!” snapped the green-eyed man rather heatedly.

“Tamotsu...” Standing straighter, Tamotsu quickly bowed in apology to Chunhei. Though her voice had been rather weak and indecisive, it was still enough to put him in is place. “However, what he says is true enough. This city and its inhabitants are protected. We do not allow visitors...if we were to get them. You are the first, in fact, in our recorded history. But there is a greater reason.” Her dark eyes settled onto Noctis alone for a moment before she looked away, unable to hold his gaze. “You carry the power of the ancient enemy with you.”

Noctis let out a sharp gasp. His thoughts immediately went to that of The Light, but what if the enemy she spoke of was the Crystal? At the moment, it could have gone either way.

“Yet you also bring a power akin to  _Hers_ .” Chunhei tilted her head to the side and looked off into the distance, as though she was once again distracted by something else.

“She who?” breathed out the Prince. Etro? Someone else? He was getting tired of all the questions that had been finding him over the past few months and wanted answers.

“It would be easier to show you...”

“Senae! Is that really such a wise choice?” Tamotsu quickly stepped up, voicing his concern before the moment passed. “I do not think we would normally show  _outsiders_ that...”

Chunhei looked to the green-eyed man for a moment as though she had just made a grievous mistake. After biting the inside of her bottom lip, she stood a bit taller and nodded her head firmly. “These are  _unusual_ circumstances, Captain. And She allows it to be so.”

Moving back to his place, Tamotsu quickly bowed once more. “Of course.” While Noctis did not believe the Captain to be fully convinced, he knew well enough now to hold his tongue.

“Come. We shall go then.”

Noctis let out a small sigh. While walking down the tree would be easier than walking up, it would still take a while. He began to move to the side to allow Chunhei to exit first, as did his friends, but they all stopped when the leader of Seiyulae merely closed her eyes. Looking around, the Prince saw that no one else was moving either. He was about to ask what was going on when he felt a sudden lurching sensation. It was as though someone had reached inside of him and pulled him along by his very core. Everything shimmered before darkness and coldness fell over him. As fast as all that had been around him disappeared, it reappeared...only it was not the same.

Panting from the sudden experience, Noctis would have stumbled forward if not for the solid ground beneath his feet. He tried to quickly regain his breathing, barely catching glimpse of the fragments of light that floated around them. Glancing around, he quickly tried to evaluate their new location. It was still Seiyulae, only a part of it they had not yet seen. What appeared to be a temple rested before them. Trees grew up high with marble walls built between them to create the perimeter of the building. It was an interesting structure to behold, that was for certain. Along with the light from the moss, another light from within seemed to be shining out.

“This way,” said Chunhei, motioning for Noctis and his friends to follow.

Finally having taken control of his breathing, Noctis looked to the others. While they seemed startled at the sudden change in environment, they did not seem quite as shaken up as Noctis.

“Noct, was that...?” breathed Ignis, nearing so his voice would only reach the Prince and not the leader of Seiyulae.

“Yeah, I think it was...” His brow scrunched up for a moment as they proceeded towards the ancient temple. “Does it always feel like that to you guys?”

“Like what?”

“Like such a...” Noctis revolved his hand around in front of him a few times, struggling to find the best way to describe the feeling. “Disconcerting sense of displacement?”

Ignis blinked. “You mean it's not always like that to you?”

Noctis sighed and shook his head. “It never feels like that when I use my teleport ability...” The strange sensation had distracted him for a moment, but it did not make him forget about the fact that she had been  _capable_ of performing the familiar teleport spell. And it had been a powerful one at that. Chunhei had been able to teleport  _all_ of them without any physical contact. Never would Noctis even begin to attempt that, even if his powers had been completely restored, and then some. Had it really been the power of the Crystal she used to teleport them? The residual feeling had certainly been familiar...but it did not make sense how that was possible. His family had been protecting the last Crystal left in existence.

Guards dressed in the same armour as the ones that had been alongside Chunhei stood either side of the massive doors. Considering what the Senae had said about them not dealing with outsiders often, Noctis figured what rested inside had to be important. It would be pointless to waste guards. With Chunhei leading the way, passage into the temple was easy enough. Once inside, a sharp gasp escaped Noctis when he saw what secrets temple held.

Columns rose up to support the high ceiling. Some of them were even trees whose branches spread out through the marble, as though grown right through the smooth stone. Grass, vines, and other small plants, grew up from between any cracks in the flooring. From the ceiling, to the walls, to the descending tiers in the floor that led to the center, there was not an inch of the temple that was not connected to nature in some way. Even what rested at the very heart of the temple, that which caused Noctis to become utterly stunned, was completely entwined with nature:

A Crystal.

It was not some meager Crystal Shard that they were collecting, nor was it even like the Crystal Noctis had grown accustomed to seeing. The Crystal that was suspended before them was several times larger than that of the one he sought o restore. It rose up in the temple, nearly reaching the ceiling. Branches reached down, and vines reached up, both seeming to grow right  _through_ the Crystal. Parts of the plants that came in contact with the Crystal had changed. No longer were they green, but they had somehow become a crystalline material as well. Completely in awe, Noctis could only stare at the sight and feel his mouth hang open.

A Crystal... A real Crystal... So theirs was not the only one left after all. Noctis swallowed dryly. He was not quite sure how to feel about that sudden piece if information.

“This is She.” Chunhei stepped forward and bowed to the glowing entity. “This is Chinoka.”

“Wait,  _ she _ ?” asked Prompto, looking between the leader of Seiyulae and the massive Crystal. “How can it be a  _ she _ ? It's a lump of rock!”

The ground trembled beneath their feet ever so slightly. Noctis breathed out in amazement as the ancient guardian glowed brighter for a moment before them. It truly was just like the one they sought to restore.

“I don't think it likes being called a lump of rock, Prompto,” sighed Gladiolus.

“This is merely the physical representation of the power She has given us. Chinoka rarely shows Her true form, even to us.” Her brow knotting together, Chunhei looked between the five of them, seeming confused. “But you have a Senae with you, two, no less. Surely you must know this.”

“We have... How can we have  _ that _ ?” blurted out Noctis' blond friend.

Chunhei seemed taken aback for a moment. She sighed before collecting herself once again. “You must have a different term for it then... The Senae is the one chosen by the Crystal's creator. They receive the blessing and are bestowed great power to carry out the creator's wishes.” She breathed out slowly, as though glad to be finished with reciting that piece of information. She gazed up to the Crystal, her look becoming distant. “Chinoka continues to protect us, selecting one person to be a Senae so Her voice can be heard. But Her powers do not end at the edge of this forest. All of nature bends to Her will now. She is known throughout the world, but not as Chinoka.”

“Wait...” breathed out Ignis. “Chinoka... You couldn't possibly be talking about Mother Nature?”

Her attention being drawn from the Crystal, Chunhei was silent for a moment in thought. “Yes. She says that's the name She has taken to help hide from the enemy ages ago.”

While some questions had been answered, many more had formed. Noctis stared back at the Crystal, still trying to get over the fact that there had been another for all this time. Could there be other Crystals hidden in the far reaches of the world?

“Oh yes!” Clearing her throat, Chunhei looked back to Noctis. “I must ask, what is so important that you have travelled this far in search for?”

He licked his lips apprehensively. Divulging their true purpose for being away from home was not something they were meant to tell, and yet... “Our Crystal shattered. We're looking for all the shards to restore it...”

“Noctis!” scolded Prompto and Gladiolus. It was clear that they did not approve of the Prince telling their reason for being so far away from home. But he figured that there was nothing to lose by doing so. Not only did the inhabitants of Seiyulae seem to be cut off from the rest of the world (and thus did not know of yet alone be a part of the cold war), but they had a Crystal of their own. A Crystal that was different from all others Noctis had known of before. It changed things. He could not treat this matter like he normally would have.

“That's awful!” gasped Chunhei, covering her mouth. “Do you really think you can restore it?”

“We're...not so sure. We're trying.”

“We wish to be on our way as soon as possible,” added Ignis, stepping in. He, along with Niveus, who still remained silent, did not seem to have objections to the revealing of their mission. “Time is critical to us, and we're still uncertain of how to get where we need to go.”

“Where it is you're trying to reach?”

Noctis shuffled his feet uncertainly. “The Underworld... We only have a vague hint that we need to keep heading east to find the Gateway.”

“That is...quite the journey you're on. While I would happily send you on your way...I'm afraid I must discuss matters with the other officials now. I hope you can appreciate the news of finding out there is another Crystal still in the world; we had believed ours to be the last.” Noctis could only let out a wry chuckle and nod slightly. It did put things in a new light. “Please rest one more night here. A decision should be reached by the morning.”

 

* * *

 

Noctis woke from his sleep. For a moment, he wondered what time of day it was. But as the lighting in his room was much darker than he remembered from before, he figured it was the middle of the night. With a sigh, he was about to try and get back to sleep when a glint in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Bolting upright, he stared at the golden light that was in his room. Part of him wanted his weapon by his side right then, but another part was saying there was no need to be afraid. The ethereal light glowed warmly, taking on the vague shape of a person. When it was certain that Noctis' attention was fixated on the light, it slipped out through his door, passing through the wood as though it was not there at all.

Crying out in surprise, Noctis flung the blankets off of him and hurried after the strange light. It called to him, beckoning him to follow. The presence he had felt earlier in the day, it was the same that he now felt in the vicinity of the warm light. Seeking answers, he followed the entity down the winding staircase to the forest floor. If there was anyone else out at that hour, he did not notice. His attention was for the mysterious light alone.

Deeper into the city he went. The light continued to lead him along, always keeping the same amount of distance from him. Any time he neared, the light would move further along, showing him where it wanted him to go. Noctis stared up in awe once again as he neared the ancient temple. It truly was hard to tell where the line between man-made and nature ended. The light whisked away inside the temple, the physical world holding no boundary over it. He was surprised when he finally noticed that there were no guards like before, but that made it all the easier for him. Pushing one of the massive doors open as little as possible, Noctis slipped inside the temple.

The giant Crystal glowed brighter than he remembered. It pulsed, as though it were a heartbeat. In a small way, it made him feel homesick. He missed his Crystal. Sighing, his gaze fell down, but stopped when he saw something else.

He was not alone.

A woman stood by the base of the Crystal. Long green hair flowed to the ground. Leaves and other small plant material were woven through her locks. She stared at the Crystal, paying Noctis no heed. Slowly, the Prince made his way towards the strange woman. That presence from earlier and the light he had followed, it was the same that he now felt from  _ her _ . His footsteps were silent on the marble as he made his descent down the tiers.

When he was still several feet away, he came to a stop. She had turned around, and Noctis felt his throat go momentarily dry. Though the lighting of the of the temple did not help, it seemed to Noctis as though her skin had a slightly more violet hint to it than normal. But that was not her most striking feature. What ensnared Noctis the most about her were her eyes. Those pupil-less golden eyes that glowed in the darkness of the night. Such power that he could not even begin to comprehend rested behind those glowing eyes.

“You...” he breathed, somehow managing to find his voice. “You're the one from my dream.” He waited for some sort of response, but got none. She merely continued to stare at him, her eyes unblinking. Noctis shivered slightly, barely able to stand being in her powerful presence. “You're Chinoka, right?” he asked in hopes for some sort of an answer. Still nothing. “Mother Nature?”

“That is the alias I took to hide from the enemy all those ages ago, yes.” Her voice was deep and mysterious. Noctis let out a soft sigh of relief, glad to finally have gotten a response. The voice was quickly recognizable. The bodiless voice that had spoken to him earlier had to have been her, no doubt about it.

“What do you want of me?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly and Noctis immediately regretted asking the question so soon. “To stop this foolish quest and turn back while you still can.” Her words final, Chinoka turned from Noctis and stared back at the Crystal.

The Prince choked on his own voice. While he had not know what she had planned to say to him, that had not been on his short list of guesses. “What?” he finally managed to cough out.

“You are chasing after shadows now—a hopeless dream. The humans were given a great blessing, the power of these Crystals, but they squandered it. And now, after destroying what they once coveted, they seek to hold onto the fragments before they slip through their fingers. Why?” The enigmatic woman looked back to Noctis, her gaze piercing right through him. “Why do you continue on this pointless journey?”

“Our Crystal must be restored for the sake of my people,” he recited what he had told himself countless times since leaving home.

“Really? Is that the only reason why you are doing this?” An eyebrow was arched in question. Just that simple motion held so much judgement behind it, as though every word of his answer was being weighed in a matter of life and death.

Noctis licked his lips and looked down, partly because he could no longer hold her gaze. “It's...not...” he answered slowly. “The Crystal must be restored because it is alive, like any of us. It protects my people, and we protect it. You say we are delaying the inevitable...but that doesn't mean we should just give up!”

“Even if that means you should face death itself?”

Noctis faltered for a moment in his response. He was ready to delve into the Underworld itself now, but he still had not truly thought about actually  _ dying _ in the process. “Yes,” he answered firmly. “For the Crystal...I would face anything to repay the debt I owe it.”

Ever so slightly, Chinoka nodded. Noctis felt himself breathe out in relief. She said no more to him, and so he assumed his conversation with the woman to be over. Slowly, he began to head out of the ancient temple. Sleep was still required for the night.

“Thank you.” Noctis blinked and turned back around, not having expected her to say anything. “That is what she would say. You should know that...in case she is unable to tell you herself...”

 

* * *

 

Noctis and his friends bowed to Chunhei as they entered the room. The Prince's head still swam in thoughts from what had happened last night. Even then, he was uncertain whether it had been a dream or not.

“We have discussed your current situation,” began Chunhei after rising and clearing her throat. “And it has been decided that, though you also hold the power the enemy once used...you are no threat, and will be allowed to continue on your journey.” Noctis breathed out a sigh of relief and a couple of his friends cheered lightly. “I must admit that I was surprised by this outcome, for Chinoka did not approve at first. And yet, something seems to have changed her mind. You said you were looking for the Gates of the Underworld, right? Several days travel to the east lie the ruins of an ancient city. Legends say that there was once a gateway there. Whether it would actually lead to the Underworld or not, I can't say for sure... But I hope it might be at least something in the right direction. We will provide you with mounts and a guide to help you on your journey. Tamotsu.”

“Yes, Senae?”

“Ready yourself and our guests for you shall be guiding them to the old city.”

“Y-yes, My Lady...” sighed Tamotsu. He did not seem completely thrilled by the prospect. Noctis had begun to wonder why the green-eyed man had been there, but now that reason was made clear.

“I wish you luck in restoring your Crystal.”

With the farewells said and done, Tamotsu led them through the city. Supplies needed for travel were gathered, along with their weapons and footwear. The Captain remained annoyingly silent, speaking only when absolutely necessary. Noctis had a feeling that he would be like this for the entire trip.

“Here, take these,” came Tamotsu, handing each of them a bunch of greens.

“ _ What _ are these for?” asked Prompto, pulling a face when he received his greens. Tentatively, he even sniffed them.

“You're going to need them in a moment.” Raising his hand, Tamotsu let out a sharp whistle. A sudden call of an animal answered him in response. Noctis couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise and laughter. He recognized the animal, even before it came into view. The creature cried out again, this time another joining it. Through the trees and undergrowth came two tall chocobos. However, they were different from the type he had become familiar with back home. While the most common breed of the massive land-bird was the golden-plumed kind, there were a few other colours that had been bred over time. The two that strode towards them were a different colour entirely. A murky green tipped with brown plumage covered their bodies, while their beaks were black. They were also larger in size than Noctis remembered the breeds back home being.

Tamotsu let out another whistle. Several more chocobos answered his call this time, all of them geared up for riding. They cried out and clicked their beaks, staring at Noctis and his friends as though uncertain whether they were friend or foe.

“Feed them the greens. That should be enough for to ride them.” For the first time since meeting them, Tamotsu smiled as he headed up to one of the chocobos. He reached out a hand and patted the tall creature on the side of its face. The chocobo warbled before nipping at the Captain's hair affectionately. He was no stranger to the avian creatures.

Gripping the greens in his hands, Noctis headed to the nearest chocobo to him. It clicked its beak at him, seeming to debate whether to run off or not as it eyed the greens in his hand. He kept the offering of food outstretched, moving slowly so he would not startle the chocobo either. He had dealt with the golden creatures back home, but he had no idea how this different breed would react if provoked the wrong way. Noctis remained quiet and held out the greens, not moving one step closer to the creature.

Tentatively, the chocobo before him took the few steps forward that were needed to be able to gobble up the greens. Not wanting to miss his chance, Noctis quickly grabbed a hold of the reins and patted the chocobo's neck warmly. With great gusto, the creature tilted its head back and went through the greens as though they were nothing. Warbling, it butted Noctis, but not in an aggressive manner. The chocobo wanted more to eat, and it was positive that Noctis had more on him. Laughing, Noctis could only pet the creature some more as he tried to keep himself from being pushed to the ground by the strong creature.

Looking over his shoulder, Noctis saw that his friends were making similar progress with their chocobos. Though a little shy at first, the chocobos were very similar in nature to the ones back home. All but one had become rather friendly to them. Niveus seemed to be having difficulty befriending a chocobo. The pale woman held out the greens like the rest of them had done, but the chocobo would not near her. Its feathers were ruffled and it continued to flex its talons threateningly.

“Watch out!” cried Noctis, hurrying over and grabbing Niveus by the arm, barely pulling her back out of the way of the chocobo before it struck. It screeched at her some more, calming down only slightly when Noctis took the white-haired woman further back.

“That's rather odd...” muttered Tamotsu, nearing the chocobo quickly so he could calm it down. “I know you're outsiders, but they usually don't react like that to a person, especially one offering greens.”

“Was it something I did?” asked Niveus, looking to the Captain for answers.

He looked to the other chocobos there. All of them seemed to be keeping their distance from the woman. “No idea. They just...don't seem to like you.”

“What should be done about it? The purpose of having mounts would be defeated if one of us had to walk,” pointed out Ignis.

Tamotsu cupped his chin in his hand, thinking the matter over. He glanced between the chocobos and Niveus. “She's to ride with me, then. I should be able to keep the chocobo steady—they're used to me, after all. Will this do?” His question was more a challenge than asking for permission.

Noctis felt like he should object on some point, but was unable to think of anything reasonable to say. With a nod, he let go of Niveus' arm grudgingly.

“Let's get you to your gateway then.”

“Right, racing towards death... The thought of that makes me feel so warm and bubbly inside,” sighed Prompto.

Noctis let out a light scoff, heading over to the chocobo that had gotten used to him. He could only hope that death would not meet them early on their journey.

 


	18. Shadow

For several days of travel, there had been nothing in sight. Vast expanses of land rolled out before them, but there had not much else to see. Even life was sparse. And what was there struggled to survive. Tamotsu had explained that a great battle had taken place on the land long ago, around the time Seiyulae had come into being. The land had been left tainted due to the magics that had torn it apart. Slowly, it was beginning to heal, but not even Chinoka's powers were able to hasten the process. And so the scarred and torn land was left mostly barren.

Noctis stared up at the expansive sky. More clouds were beginning to settle in the further east they went. But they were no natural clouds. An eery darkness clung to them. It was a darkness that the Prince would have avoided if given the chance, but the city Chunhei spoke of lay in the same direction as the clouds. Whether it was the gateway they searched for or not, Noctis suspected that they would at least find something in they city.

“Is it time to stop for night already? Where did the day go?” questioned Prompto, slowing his chocobo down momentarily.

“No, it's not.” Ignis peered up at the darkening sky. “It's not even noon yet. It's an unnatural darkness settling in.”

“It's always been like this,” muttered Tamotsu from the front. “Look!” Calling out, he motioned for the rest of them to hurry. They crested a hill and stopped. Down in the valley below them, built at the base of a mountain, were the ruins of a city. Its vastness even in its destroyed state amazed Noctis. He wondered what the place must have looked like in the peak of its glory. Now it was nothing more than crumbling ruins, most of it not having survived the test of time. “This nameless city is cursed. See? The land around it cannot heal like the rest.” Sure enough, the land nearing the city lost what little greenery the rest held. Instead, it was sick, a dark blight suffocating the ground that would not allow anything to grow.

“What happened to this place?” pondered Gladiolus.

“All we know is that the heart of the battle in these lands took place here. The inhabitants of the city tried to hold out, but even they could not avoid their fate. We would have met a similar fate, had Chinoka not protected us.”

Noctis stared grimly at the ruined city. Locked in a perpetual darkness, it had forgotten what the light of day looked like. Just what had happened in their world before the Crystal Age? Each step they took on this journey created more questions dealing with the past. He could only wonder what had happened between The Light and the power of the Crystals to make them enemies.

“This is where my journey with you ends.” Pulling on the reins of the chocobo, Tamotsu rounded the creature about so he could look to Noctis and his friends. “For what it's worth, good luck in restoring your Crystal.” A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “You must be either very brave...or very stupid to even think of venturing into the Underworld.”

“And the blame for that goes squarely on Noct's shoulders,” laughed Prompto as he dismounted the chocobo. The Prince only sighed and shook his head as he scrambled off his mount. The chocobo butted him lightly again, still looking for more greens each time Noctis was near it. Hurrying over, Noctis helped Niveus down from Tamotsu's chocobo. Sensing she was no longer on its back, the creature was quick to scamper a few more feet away from the pale girl. Even over their days of travelling, none of the chocobos had warmed up to her.

All of the reins were given to the Captain. “Be careful in the city.” Without wanting to draw out the farewells, Tamotsu was quickly off. The chocobos sped away back down the hill, becoming smaller with each passing second.

“Shall we get going?” Noctis looked to his bespectacled fiend and nodded. Making sure his sword was still secured properly, the dark-haired Prince turned and began to head down the hill. The land around them slowly began to transform into the cursed blight they had seen from atop their vantage point. So unused to travel, it seemed to crumbled and die a little more with each step they took.

The ruins rose up before them. Even destroyed, they were still a rather impressive sight to see. Impressive, and also rather depressing. The darkness that had settled in seemed to have actual weight as they entered the city. It pressed down on Noctis, giving him a headache.

“Where should we look for the Gates?” questioned Gladiolus, scratching his head.

Noctis breathed out slowly and looked around. He could make no sense of the layout of the city. Every inch of it was foreign to him. There was no telling which part of the city would be most likely to hold the gateway, if it was here at all. “I have no idea,” he admitted with a sigh. He was not even able to sense anything that would begin to lead them in the right direction.

“We should systematically search the city.” Nodding, Ignis fiddled with his glasses as he looked towards one edge of the ruins.

“But won't that take a while?” droned Prompto in annoyance.

“It may, it may not. But it's the best chance we have of not missing where the gateway may be located.”

“Fine, fine. Whatever. Can we just get moving? I really don't like staying still in this place.” Shivering slightly, Prompto gripped his arms and stared warily at the ruined walls that rose up around them. “It's...creepy...”

“Whether the Gates of the Underworld rest here or not, death still has a hold on this place.” Niveus looked at the ruins around them, a slight hint of fear in her eyes. “Something...something's keeping it here. It can't leave...not yet.”

“Weeeeelllll, that brightens the mood right up. Can we hurry along now so  _ we _ don't end up being unable to leave?”

Without complaint, Noctis nodded vehemently. The feeling of death he got from this city, it was worse than the feeling The Light gave him. Quickly, he and his friends set off to start their hunt through the city. The idea of splitting into smaller groups to search came up, but it was swiftly agreed that staying together would be the safer course of action. There was no telling what dangers could be lurking behind the crumbling walls.

The more time they spent in the ruined city, the greater Noctis' headache became. The darkness grew darker, pressing in on them more and more. At times, he heard silent whispers coming from the dark corners. It was as though the souls of the deceased inhabitants were watching them, at least that was the feeling Noctis got. It was suffocating. If they had to remain in the city for much longer, Noctis was not sure what they could do to hold back the encroaching shadows.

They continued to search, leaving no building untouched and no corner unturned. There was still no sign of what might possibly be the Gates of the Underworld, or even its remains. A shiver crawled up Noctis' spine as the voices from the darkness grew louder. He tried to move faster, but it felt as though something had a hold of him and he had to use more force to get his feet moving. Looking over his shoulder, he stared at the ground. Had not the shadows covered less of the blighted land mere seconds before?

“Guys?” he called out, instinctively reaching back for his trusted blade. “There's something wrong with this place...”

“Yeah, tell us something we don't already know,” barked out Prompto, tapping his gun to his shoulder. He gave a rather weak laugh, the taxing feeling of the city not letting him out of its grasp either. They were all succumbing to whatever curse the ruined city held. At the very least, if they did not find hint of the Gates soon, they were going to have to take a break from being inside the city walls.

“No, I mean something's  _ really _ wrong,” repeated Noctis, not wanting to take his eyes off the shadows. It was a hard task to accomplish, considering that there was hardly a place that the shadows did not hold in their grasp.

“Well— _ UUUAAAAaaaagh _ !”

“PROMPTO!” yelled out everyone. Right before their eyes, a mass of darkness rose up behind the blond and engulfed him. One second he was there, the next he was completely gone. Gladiolus quickly drew forth his axe and charged towards the mass of shadows. Just as he swung his blade, the shadows receded, leaving no trace of Prompto. Their scarred friend yet out a yell of anger, the head of his axe soon being slammed into the ground.

Stunned, Noctis could only stand there. He replayed what had just happened in his mind, yet could think of nothing they could have done to help their friend. A helpless cry escaped him, nearly sinking to his knees. Remorse did not have time to settle in. The bodiless whispers grew louder. A cold wind travelled up the path, sending chills up his spine. As he tried to take a step back, he once again felt resistance to his actions.

“We need to go,” he gulped. All around them, the shadows began to move, like bugs skittering across the ground and walls. “We need to go  _ now _ !” None of them waited a second longer. Unable to do anything more for their friend at the moment, Noctis and the others bolted back down the street. The voices began to fade the farther they ran.

Panting hard, Noctis pushed himself as much as he could, hoping that there was somewhere in the city that would be safe. He looked over his shoulder every few moments, making sure that his friends were still with him. Uncertain of where to go, he blindly turned down random corners, hoping that, in the process, he did not double-back to where they had already been. Their systematic search through the city was ruined, but that mattered little when faced with the sudden need of survival.

Only once the pained voices became nothing more than hushed whispers did Noctis come to a stop. Breathing hard, he rested his hands against his legs for support. The others stopped near him, staying a bit closer than normal due to what had just transpired.

“What... _ was _ that?” panted out Gladiolus, his axe suddenly becoming a walking stick for support.

“Rage...anger...vengeance...” breathed Niveus, her voice reduced to nothing more than a shaky whisper. “That's all that remains of it now...” Running her hands through her hair, she gripped her white locks tightly. Noctis stared at her, feeling a pang of sympathy. She looked as shaken over these events as those dealing with the Obruo. She would find no more peace of mind as long as they remained in the city.

“Oh great, is it taking its anger out on us?” Gladiolus threw up his arms in defeat. “What did we do to it?!”

“We are most likely just in the wrong place in the very wrong time.” Ignis let out a heavy sigh as he smoothed out his jacket. “Rage incarnate probably considers everything to be an enemy.”

“What can we possibly do to get Prompto back?”

“I...I don't know.” Noctis ran a hand helplessly down his face. “It just... _ took _ him. So suddenly... Just like that...” His head became murky with thoughts, and the voices from the shadows did not help. As long as they were in the city, he would not be allowed a moment to think properly. “We need to get out of the city...”

“What? But Prompto's probably somewhere inside!”

“And what if we're taken too?” Noctis snapped back, a bit harsher than he would have liked. But the thought of losing one of his closest friends combined with the suffocating aura of the place had already brought him to his wit's end.

“Noct's right, Gladiolus. The best way to help Prompto is to first help ourselves. Once we're out of the city, we can come up with some sort of plan of action.”

“All right, I gue— _ nnngggh _ !  _ RUN _ !”

Noctis cried out to his friend, but it was already too late. Without any warning like there had been the previous time, tendrils of shadow had lashed out at their scarred friend, grabbed onto his limbs, and pulled him back in no more time than it took to blink. The Prince felt as though he had been dealt another great blow. Now two of his friends had been taken, and he still had no way of knowing whether they would be safe or not. He cursed loudly as he managed to push himself back to a run down the street, Ignis and Niveus mere feet behind.

How were they going to save their friends? Or... Noctis felt a foul taste rise in his mouth at the thought.  _ Could _ their friends even be saved? He immediately chided himself for even thinking like that. They could be saved. They  _ would _ be saved. Doubt could not be allowed to take root.

“Ignis, what's the fastest way out of the city?” Noctis slowed for a moment as he waited for a response. He waited...and waited a little more. “Ignis?” Coming to a halt, he turned around and suddenly felt as though his gut had been wrenched out of him. “ _ IGNIS _ !” he howled, hoping for any sort of response. Only the hushed whispers of the shadows answered his call. Crying out in frustration, he kicked at the nearest piece of rubble, his foot stinging in pain as a result. Again, the shadows attacked with no warning and so swiftly while they had been fleeing. Running blindly through the streets would serve them no purpose. “We need to keep on moving,” he rasped, running his hands through his hair. When he looked over his shoulder, he was thankful that Niveus was still there, but was not thankful for the state she was now in. “Niveus?”

She clutched at her hair. “I'm sorry... I'm sorry...” she muttered, but not to Noctis.

“Niveus, what's wrong?”

“They're angry... Angry that they failed... So very, very angry...” She cringed, nearly falling to her knees. “Stop it! Make them stop...! Please, just make them stop...”

“Niveus!” She stared up at Noctis once he placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. He hated seeing that look of utter confusion mixed with pain. If what he was hearing was nothing but faint whispers at the moment, he could not begin to imagine what it must have been like for her inside her head. Struggling, he wracked his brain to think of something he could say to comfort her. Nothing great or monumental came to mind, so he merely kept it simple. “It's gonna be okay...” Raising a hand, he placed it over one of hers, hoping that would help to calm her down. Her breathing slowed to a slightly more steady pace. “It'll be okay. But first, we need to get out of here.” As long as they were in the city, they would not be safe.

Closing her eyes, Niveus nodded. At least for now, she was calm again. Noctis breathed a sigh of relief, glancing warily at the shadows around them. They were going to have to get out of the city, and soon. Keeping her hand in his, Noctis started back off down the street, trying his best to pick routes that would lead to the edge of the city. Even in ruins, the streets and buildings still created a maze.

A curse escaped him each time he came to a split in the street, and he wondered which way was the best choice. He began to think they were soon running in circles. The shadows were closing in on them, leaving nearly no inch of area untouched by its reach. Panting hard, Noctis found his legs beginning to burn. Now it was not just a matter of whether or not they would be able to save his friends, but rather if they were going to be able to save themselves.

Crying out in surprise, Noctis took a hard tumble to the ground. In the darkness, he had not been able to see a choice piece of rubble that had been resting in the street. His foot snagged on the rubble and he was sent falling face-first into the dirt. He cursed at himself for making such a foolish blunder. Grunting, he started to push himself up—there was no time to be lying on the ground.

“Noctis!” called out Niveus once she noticed he was no longer by her side. As the Prince looked up, he saw her rushing back towards his side. He wanted to tell her to keep running, but it was already too late. Just as she was about to reach out to him, tendrils of shadow lashed out towards her.

“No!” he shouted, rushing to his feet so fast his head spun for a second. Not wanting to lose anyone else to the shadows, Noctis managed to grab onto her hand, keeping her from being swallowed up by the enraged darkness. It took all of his strength to keep her from being taken, but the shadow was persistent. Each moment that passed, it covered more of her body.

“Let go!” Gritting his teeth, Noctis ignored her request. As much as he tried to stop it, he could not pull her from the shadows. Nothing could stop their rage. “Just let go...!”

“NO!” He could not let go. He  _ would _ not let go. He would not lose her, not like this. The look he saw in her eyes... It was the truth, and he did not want to face it. As much as he tried to hold on, to pull her back to his side, her hand was slipping from his grip. While he was trying his hardest not to let go, she was allowing her hand to slip from his. For whatever reason, she was not struggling to hold on, to survive.

“Don't let it take you too...” she gasped, her face suddenly contorting in pain. Further and further her hand slipped from his. He was resorted to trying to hold onto nothing more than her fingers. “It's gonna be okay...”

“Niveus!  _ NO _ !”

She was gone.

Flung back from the momentum of losing his hold on Niveus, Noctis tumbled into the ground once again. The whispers rose in his mind, their anger clouding his thoughts. Only one thing remained clear in his mind: he had to get out of the city. Shadows licked at his body as he pushed himself up. He cursed for being so foolish to be unable to keep Niveus safe, but he would have to wait until later to get mad at himself. Before he could be taken as well, the Prince dashed back off down the streets, his legs still burning from all the running.

He fled as fast as he could, glancing up only when he needed to regain his bearings. Noctis tore through the streets like death itself was on his tail, which was very near well the case. Climbing over rubble when he could, he tried to take shortcuts, but they helped only marginally.

Hopes rose greatly when he saw the edge of the blight. Nearly tripping over more rubble, Noctis managed to give a final burst of speed towards the edge of the ruined city. Freedom felt so close. Hope was then shattered when he came into contact with something solid and was sent crumbling to the ground. Confused, he stared up at the empty air before him at the edge of the city.

“What?  _ No _ !” Cursing in frustration, he slammed his fists against the invisible wall. He was trapped in the ruins. There was no escape. Noctis stared at the lands that were slowly healing on the other side—there he would have had time to gather his thoughts and think of some way he could get his friends back. Punching at the wall in anger once more, he turned back down the street and continued to run. His only chance of saving his friends now was to stay out of the grasp of the shadows before he found some way to fend it off.

How was he to fight something that was invulnerable to physical attacks? His sword would be useless, and he doubted that any of the powers he got from the Crystal would be of use either. The only possible way that came to mind to survive against shadow was...

“Light...!” he gasped sharply. Taking a turn for the nearest building, or at least what once was a building, he began searching through the rubble. Over the endless years, much of what could have possibly been used for kindling had long since rotted away. He turned over every crumbled piece of wall to find even the smallest thing that could be used to start a fire. Whether a simple fire or not would do anything to help was another matter.

A cry of joy escaped him, much more for stress relief than actual happiness. He broke off a more manageable piece of the furniture to start with. It was getting harder to move, as though even the basic shadows around him were trying to stop his plan. That only strove him to want to get the wood burning all the more. After tossing it to the ground so it would be able to breathe, he took his sword out. Without any flint around, and unable to use magic on his own, he was going to have to improvise. It took a few tries, but at last sparks set the old piece of wood ablaze and he was able to sigh in relief before falling to his knees.

Even just the small shred of light made it easier for him to move. A great weight was lifted off his shoulder, and he could think a bit clearer. Only a slight change, but it gave him hope. As much as he yearned to just lie down and rest then, the small fire only provided so much light. He needed more.

Without venturing outside the light cast by the flame for more than a few moments at a time, he managed to collect more of anything that could be used to fuel the flame. Only when the fledgling fire became a raging bonfire and he had plenty of fuel to last a while without having to venture out further for more did he begin to relax. Sinking to the ground, Noctis sat and stared at the fire. It was his temporary guardian—a single ray of hope in eternal darkness.

He wanted to rest. He wanted to just lie down and sleep. But he knew if he slept, he could be consumed by the shadows like the rest if the fire went out. Letting out several curses, he buried his face in his hands. The impact of what had just transpired fully settled in. His friends... All taken. All gone. Even with his mind clearer, he could not think of any way to get them back. He needed them by his side to help come up with ideas, but now he was alone.

“What am I gonna do?” he whispered, looking back up to the flickering flames. The shadows were everywhere... He had no idea where to begin looking for the source of the problem, and he had his doubts that the usual “cut off the head of the monster” plan would work this time. A long sigh escaped him, wishing he had at least one of his friends to help come up with some course of action. Helpless at the moment, he merely tried to rest—when he did come up with an idea, he would be useless if he was half-dead.

Sleep could not be allowed though, not at that time. It was much easier said than done. His eyelids felt so heavy, as though someone had strapped on giant lead weights to them. The near-hypnotic wave of the flames and the pleasant sounds coming from the fire did not help his exhausted state.

“What are you doing here...?”

Blinking at the odd voice, Noctis looked up and let out a cry of surprise as he scrambled back as quickly as possible to get away. A man stood across the fire from him, barely within reach of the light from the flames. The surprise that the Prince felt appeared to be mirrored on the violet-haired man's face. He had come from nowhere without a single warning. His clothes (what looked to be like it was some kind of uniform) were tattered, and his dark eyes were sunken, as though he was just as tired as Noctis.

“You shouldn't be here! You need to leave this place. Now!” What looked to be a mix of anger and concern was etched on the man's face as he stepped further into the light.

Completely shocked from seeing another person in the ruined city, Noctis could only stare at the mysterious man with his mouth hanging open. He was so stunned that did not even reach for his sword. The man, though angered, did not give off an aggressive feel, especially when compared to the shadows that lingered in the ruins.

At last, Noctis cleared his throat and stood up. “I've tried!” he replied, just as forcefully as the strange man. With a sigh, he added, “It's no use...”

His aura of tension falling, the man stared at Noctis sympatheticly. “So you're already trapped...”

The Prince let out a slight huff. Though it felt like he was denying the truth, he did not like to think of himself as yet trapped. There had to be a way to escape the city, once he freed his friends. “Who are you?” asked Noctis, a bit harsher than he normally would have, but he was well over his usual limits.

Blinking several times, the stranger stared blankly at Noctis. He opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it. It was a simple question, yet it seemed to make the man rather confused. The Prince stared at the man, rather befuddled, ready to ask a new question when the other man finally responded: “I'm...Maero...” His response was slow, as though he was uncertain of his own name. But as soon as it had left his lips, he was more confident in his response, nodding slightly to himself.

“Noctis,” replied the Prince automatically.

Maero's eyes flickered from the Prince back to the flame. “It's been some time since there's been light in this city.” A low sigh escaped him. “Far too long...”

“How long have you been here?”

“Days?” Pondering, Maero glanced off to the side and rubbed his neck. His lips moved as he tried counting everything on his fingertips. Much like in remembering his name, there seemed to be a great deal of difficulty with finding the right answer. “Weeks...? It feels like a short amount of time...and yet eternity all at once.”

The Prince sighed softly. It was not his first time dealing with someone who had trouble when it came to memory. He wondered how long Maero had to have been here to lose track of time. Part of the Prince did not want to know, for he already feared that, one day, the same fate would befall him.

“Just what happened in this place?”

“I don't know... Everything's a blur now when I try to think about it...” Placing a hand to his head, Maero cringed slightly. For a moment, the whispers grew louder, and the shadows pressed in on the light of the fire. Quickly, Noctis grabbed some more of the wood and other material he had gathered and tossed them into the flames. “All I remember now is we were here...but then the shadows began to pick off the rest of my men. One by one they were taken, leaving only me behind.”

“It took my friends too,” sighed Noctis. That thought still brought a foul taste to his mouth and made his gut churn.

“Then there is no hope for them.”

“What?!” The Prince took a step back in disbelief, the shadows trying their hardest to reach out for him.

Maero's expression became grim. “If you seek to get them back, then I'm afraid it is hopeless. I have tried countless times to get my comrades back...and have found no way.”

“Then we just keep trying!” snapped Noctis, not willing to accept that there was no way to save his friends. There had to be something that Maero missed. Every possibility could not have been tried. “There has to be a way!”

“There isn't one.” The mysterious man remained sombre when faced against Noctis' anger. “Once consumed by the shadows, there is no return.”

Casting his eyes to the side, Noctis denied what Maero had told him. “Have you destroyed the shadows yet?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Then you haven't tried everything!” Noctis bit back his tongue when he realized how harsh he was beginning to sound. Maero did not deserve the Prince's frustration. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Noctis thought about the one remaining course of action. “We have to destroy the shadows...”

A long and tired sigh escaped the violet-haired man. “I have tried many times to defeat the shadows...” There was a glint in his eyes that had not there before when he looked back to Noctis. A glint of hope, small, but still there. “But maybe, with you, we'll be able to find a way.”

Noctis switched his attention to the darkness that consumed the city. He felt as though it were watching their every move. Nothing would be kept from the watchful shadows that peered over them. “How do we find the source of the shadows? If there is one...”

Barking out a dry laugh, Maero drew forth an item. Noctis eyed it, wondering what it could possibly be. At first glance, it appeared as though it may have been a sword, only there was no blade. The intricate and elegant design of the would-be hilt glinted in the light of the fire. “It's not finding it that will be the difficult part.” The mysterious man's eyes glanced to the darkened ruins that surrounded them. “It should come to us easily enough... Whether we'll be able to destroy it once and for all is the real question you want to ask.”

Numbly nodding in agreement, Noctis reached out to find a suitable piece of wood. The light from the fire was their only current hope of fending off the shadows. Even if he would only be able to take a little with him, it would have to do. Hastened by the desire to save his friends, he got the makeshift torch burning brightly. Noctis stared at the flickering flames before him, hoping it would be enough for them as they ventured back out into the city. With but a single glance to Maero, the two of them set off down the darkened streets.

As soon as they stepped away from the warmth and brightness of the bonfire, Noctis immediately felt a change in their surroundings. Once again the darkness pressed in on them, trying to snuff out the single point of light from the torch. They trekked on slowly in silence. The voices of the many whispers provided more than plenty of talking for Noctis' liking.

Every step along in the darkness nearly made the Prince want to jump. Being forced to deal with an enemy that was practically invisible, that he did not know if he would even be able to attack yet, and that could strike at any moment was making him much more nervous than he would have liked. He could only hope in their attempt to free their friends that they were not taken as well.

“This place is good,” muttered Maero as they came across a more open area of the ruins. If Noctis had to guess, he would have surmised that the area had once been a courtyard. The cobblestones beneath their feet were in long need of repair, all cracked and broken in some way, with their fragments having since become nothing more than dust. Where normally weeds might have been growing up, there was only more of the lifeless blight that seeped up and spread across the ground. The ruined remains of a fountain at the center rose up, a small hint to the wonder the city once held.

“What now?”

“We wait.”

Noctis let out a sigh. He did not enjoy the wait. Every moment of apprehension was filled with the noise of Noctis' blood pounding in his ears. He tried to focus on the shadows around them, which was a silly thing to do since he had no way of knowing which of the shadows would be the ones to strike.

“Watch out!” cried Maero. The Prince barely had time to look at his new companion before his feet were swiped out from under him. His world was spun upside down as he was sent flying to his back with a rather loud  _ thud _ against the ground. Noctis grunted, his head spinning in disorientation for a moment. The shadows began to seep over his body, causing Noctis to scramble up in a panic. He tried to swing out with the torch, only to realize it was no longer in his hold.

Cursing under his breath, Noctis drew his sword and sliced at the shadows that were amassing around him. Just as he had feared, his physical attacks did nothing against the formless enemy. Keeping away from the grasp of the shadows as best he could, Noctis dived after the torch that now flickered faintly in the darkness. The shadows closing in, he grabbed a hold of the torch and held it high, saving it from being fully consumed just yet.

“Maero! Are you all—” Noctis gasped lightly when his gaze fell onto the mysterious man. What had once looked to be a useless hilt was no more. A blade of pure energy rushed out from the hilt, illuminating what was immediately around it. Unlike Noctis' blade, Maero's energy sword seemed to have at least a little effect on their faceless foe. Quickly, the Prince made his way back to Maero's side—they had a better chance of fighting together than separately.

“It's here.”

“What?” Looking over his shoulder for a moment, Noctis gasped and spun fully around. Across the courtyard, many shadows began to mass together. Twisting and contorting, the shadows rose up, an eery aura growing around the new mass. Voices cried out from it, tormented and in pain. Their cries—that were no longer just in Noctis head, they were very real and audible—sent unwanted chills up his spine.

It became even more grotesque to look at when the viscous shadows took on the forms of faces, their expressions forever locked in anguish. Lifeless hands clawed out before them, jutting out at odd angles from the macabre and perverse creation. Noctis grimaced deeply as he stared at it, a rage slowly building up inside of him—the foe before him was what took his friends from him.

As Noctis tried to think of some sort of strategy, his mind was remaining frustratingly blank. Only light truly seemed to do anything to the shadows, and they barely had enough of it on their side. Tendrils of darkness snaked out to him, and he was reminded that he could not let his guard down for a second. Cursing under his breath, the Prince quickly lashed out at the shadows with his torch, after momentarily forgetting that his sword did nothing to the bodiless enemy.

“And this is where it gets interesting...” Raising his sword high, Maero slashed down, a burst of energy escaping from the blade and slicing through the darkness before it. The shadows gave way, not being able to hold up against the light emitted by the energy, and it swiftly bore into one of the twisted faces of the shadow fiend.

The attack only seemed to anger the foe even more. A frustrated sigh escaped Noctis, though he was not that surprised. Had the attack been able to do more, then the shadows would have probably already been defeated.

“Time to see what difference you'll make in the fight!” shouted out Maero over his shoulder. Gathering himself, Noctis nodded firmly. He was going to have to make certain that this was the last time that the shadows would have to be fought.

The mass of viscous shadows seeped across the floor, slowly moving towards them. Voices continued to cry out, the many arms clawing towards Noctis and Maero as it shortened the distance between them. The closer it got, the more fear gripped the Prince. Unlike before, he could now hear specific words and phrases from the voices. Their anger still dominated their words, but now Noctis got a feeling of regret as well.

_ Invaders! They must be destroyed! _

_For the glory of the city! We must not fail again!_

_Failure is not an option!_

All of the air around Noctis and Maero cooled drastically, so much that their breath condensed before them. The shadowy fiend loomed above them, and Noctis braced himself for the worst. He did not know what would happen, or how it would work, but still he had to try. Taking a leading step into his attack, Noctis cried out as he swung his sword at the fiend, the torch trailing behind it in his other hand.

Momentum of his attack came to a stop as soon as the blade came into contact with the thick shadows. A gasp of surprise mixed with horror escaped the Prince's lips. It was worse trying to slice through the fiend than trying to slice through tar. Not only could his blade not slice cleanly through the fiend, but the wretched arms grabbed onto his sword and would not let go. The voices still wailed from the many gaping mouths as the fiend slowly pulled the sword  _ into _ its body.

Grunting in vehement protest, Noctis tried his hardest to regain control of his blade, but the fiend proved to be too much. Try as he might, he could not reclaim his sword. In the end, he gave up and relinquished the sword to the shadows before they took him along with it. Losing just his sword was preferred to losing his life.

Noctis cursed as he skittered back away from the shadow fiend, keeping the torch before him as a weak defence. Another surge of pure energy struck the shadows, allowing them enough time to return to a safer distance, if only for a moment. At a near loss for what to do now that his main weapon was taken from him, Noctis began to frantically look around. There had to be something he could do.

A sudden gasp came from him when he realized what he could do to their surroundings. Ordering Maero to keep the perverse fiend at bay for as long as he could, Noctis dashed off to the edge of the ruined courtyard. He had to move quickly before the torch ran out. That fire was his last hope.

He held the torch up to the rubble nearest him and stood as still as the adrenaline rushing through his veins would allow. As he waited, Noctis continued to look over his shoulder nervously, checking to see if Maero was still holding his own against the shadows. So far he was, but Noctis was not sure how much longer the man would hold out.

_ Noooo! _

_Not the city! Not Velens!_

_Our city must not be harmed!_

_We must uphold our duty!_

_We must not fail again!_

Their endless voices cried out in even more anguish. Arms flailed wildly in horror. The reaction from the fiend caused Noctis to stare at it in surprise. He had not been expecting his actions to cause that extreme of a response, but it worked to his advantage. Seeking to keep the fiend distracted and not focused on the two of them, Noctis continued to set fire to as much of the courtyard as he could. If it meant they would survive, and his friends would return, he would see that the entire city burned.

Noctis watched as the shadow fiend was torn between avoiding the light of the fire and trying to find a way to extinguish it. Rejoining Maero's side, the Prince tried to figure out just what was so special about protecting a bunch of ruins.

“Maero...why were you and the rest of your men sent here?” asked the Prince after he licked his lips, already hoping that his growing suspicions were wrong.

“What? Noctis, this is hardly the ti—”

“Just answer the question!” he snapped back, a wary eye kept on the shadow fiend in case it decided to focus its attention back on them. “Why were you even here?”

Like the other times Noctis had confronted Maero with a question, the man became confused as he tried to search for the answer. He raised a hand to his head, as though fending off an encroaching headache. “We were... We were here to protect the city. It had to be defended against the enemy forces.”

“Defend the city...” repeated Noctis. That was what the shadow fiend continued to wail on about. “Why would you need to protect the city when it's in ruins?”

“It's...our duty!” he grunted back., still battling a headache. “We must not fail! If we do, it would mean the end to the others!”

“Maero, get a grip of yourself! There's no reason to protect the ruins of a city that died out who-knows-how-long ago! Just let it go!”

All of a sudden, Maero looked to the Prince. All the confusion that had been there moments before had melted away. No longer was he battling with himself in attempts to recover his memories. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. After swallowing, he tried again, his voice dry: “Just let it go?” The words were faint, barely heard over the cries from the shadow fiend as it continued to try to defend the ruins. Slowly, Maero's gaze shifted to the wailing monster, then back to Noctis. A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Looks like the way to end this was finally found.”

“Maero! What in blazes are you  _ doing _ ?!  _ Maero _ !” It was no use. As the Prince cried out, Maero was already dashing off as fast as he could towards the shadow fiend. Noctis tried to hurry after him, to reach out and stop him, but even that proved futile when his hand passed right  _ through _ Maero's shoulder. The shock of the unexpected caused Noctis to stop dead in his tracks. All he could now do was stand and watch as Maero reached the fiend and was consumed.

All the faces of the fiend cried out in pain, the limbs flailing wildly, some of them clawing at itself. Whatever Maero had planned to do, the fiend did not like it. Soon, much sooner than Noctis would have liked, the mass of shadows switched its attention to Noctis. The dead gazes from the lifeless eye sockets sent chills crawling over his entire body. Fear petrified him, leaving him rooted to the spot as the fiend advanced on him.

The power of the darkness in the area grew. All the work Noctis had put into setting as much of the courtyard as he could ablaze was slowly being extinguished. He wanted to move. He wanted to run. But try as he might, his body would not listen to his mind. The fiend neared, and the torch in Noctis' hand flickered before being snuffed out completely. With it, so too went any hope that Noctis held.

It became harder to breathe. Something felt like it was wrapped around Noctis, trapping him and squeezing ever tighter. The darkness had a hold of him, and it would not let go. Every ounce of warmth was siphoned from Noctis. All of his energy was being drained. The last thing he saw was the monstrous fiend reaching out to him before...

Nothingness.

Everything was gone. He had been swallowed by the darkness, sending him to the bottomless black abyss. All of his sensations had been taken from his as well. There was nothing. Was this death? But, if he could think about it, did that mean he was even dead to begin with? He wanted to be certain, but there was no way for him to test his theory. All he could do was...nothing.

How long had it been? Seconds? Minutes? Years? Even time could not be grasped. After however much time had past, a light was visible. Small and faint, it was as though someone had pricked the eternal darkness with nothing more than a mere pin. Even while being so small, it would not be extinguished by all the nothingness that weighed down upon it.

Somehow, Noctis was not quite sure, he managed to near the light. With having no sensations, the only way he knew he was drawing closer to the faint flicker of light was that it was starting to become larger and brighter with each moment of eternity that passed. When it finally grew no larger, it shone as brightly as a thousand suns despite its small size, no larger than that of a gemstone. Its light provided Noctis with a warmth he could feel once again.

Noctis reached out...

...And awoke face-first on the cracked stones of the ruined courtyard.

Gasping for air, Noctis managed to push himself up so he could get a look at his surroundings. The shadow fiend was gone, and in its place were what looked like dozens of flecks of light drifting slowly upwards in the air. They glinted warmly in the coldness of the ruins. There was something calming, and also sad, about them. When he looked back down, he saw something else that had not been there before.

“Niveus!” When he tried to hurry over to where she lay, he realized how weak his body was now, as though half of his blood had been drained from him. Moving carefully so he would not topple over, he reached her side. She was very still, but he could see that she was faintly breathing. “Niveus? Can you hear me?” he asked, crouching down by her side. “Wake up. C'mon, wake up... Niveus?”

She moaned, rolling onto her side. A sigh of relief escaped the Prince. “What—” A cough. Her voice was rather dry. “What happened?”

Noctis opened his mouth to answer, but then actually took a moment to think about it. His face scrunched up in confusion. “I'm really not too sure.”

“What about the others?”

Upon hearing her question, Noctis rose and looked across the courtyard. Much to his relief, the rest of his friends, and even his sword, were also there. They were all safe. Helping Niveus up, the two of them went to awake the others.

“Whoa!” yelped Prompto, bolting upright after no more than a single shake. He stared wide-eyed at Noctis for a moment before checking his person for something. “Am I all here?”

“Physically, yes. Mentally...well...” Noctis shrugged slightly. “That's yet to be determined.”

“Har har, very funny,  _ Princey Boy _ . The others?”

“We're fine,” called out Ignis.

“What are all these random lights?” questioned Gladiolus, craning his head around to look at the expanse of them.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” mumbled Noctis in return, surveying the entirety of the courtyard. He was not sure if it was just because of the dozens upon dozens of little lights or not, but the ruins no longer seemed so dark. The clouds above were thinning, and even the blight on the ground was receding. The ruined city was freed from whatever curse had claimed it. Blinking several times to make sure his gaze did not deceive him, the Prince hurried over to the broken fountain. “Maero! What happened? What did you do?”

The mysterious man stood still, his gaze focused on nothing in particular. “We finally let go.”

“We?”

“Myself and those around you—the rest of the souls of the city's inhabitants.”

Noctis' brow furrowed in confusion. Souls? The lights around them were souls? Curiosity taking a hold of him, he reached out to try and grasp one of the lights that was floating on by. His hand passed right through it, but that was not what startled him. For a moment after coming in contact with his hand, the faint ghostly image of a man's face appeared around the shard of light. He flickered for a second before fading away. Mouth ajar, Noctis looked back to Maero for further explanation.

“Velens, our city, was under siege. We had to protect our city, and the last gateway that rested here, but in the end we failed. Even in death, we could not let go. Our souls remained trapped here, unable to move. Slowly, over the many years, the others began to lose themselves, becoming nothing more than raging darkness that consumed the city, and those not yet turned. I only avoided the madness for I still had to carry out my duty—I had to defend the city from themselves. For endless years, that was all I knew, forgetting everything else in the process.” Maero turned to Noctis, and smiled softly. “Until you came, and brought light to this dark city. You helped me remember what I had forgotten, and pointed out that we no longer needed to cling to the past as we did—it was time to let go.” As Maero's being began to flicker like the lights around them, his body becoming translucent, his gaze focused on something behind the Prince for a second. “And now we know that our deaths were not in vain. A fragment of hope lives on, no matter how slight.”

“What do you mean?” Maero flickered again before the Prince's eyes, and he feared that the man had gone for good. But the dead inhabitant of Velens remained, albeit faintly.

Maero smiled again, his gaze becoming unfocused. Noctis' question did not seem to reach the man at all. He gasped in surprise, still managing to hold that smile. “I can see it now... Green fields... White shores... And beyond... Do not be afraid, Noctis, it...it is not something to fear...” Closing his eyes, Maero allowed himself to be swept away on the breathless wind. In a blink of an eye, he was gone.

Backing up, Noctis frantically looked around for any sign of Maero or the other souls. But they were all of them gone, The Light fading from the sky. With the last remnants of the ghosts gone from the city, the perpetual darkness that had encompassed the place began to seep away. Daylight began to touch the ruins for the first time in ages.

“Who was that?” asked Ignis, coming up beside the Prince.

“He was...the one that saved us from that dark place.”

With the shadows gone, the ruins looked completely different. It was actually a fairly amazing place to behold. Noctis could only begin to imagine what it had looked like during the peak of its prosperity. At least now it was a place at rest, not tormented and caught in darkness like it had been for all those years before.

“Did that guy mention something about a gateway?” pondered their scarred friend.

Noctis looked to Gladiolus, quickly trying to remember all that Maero has said. “You're right, he did!” For the first time in a while, hope filled Noctis. Now they were certain that there was a gateway in the city. Now he could only hope that it led them where they wanted to go.

A long sigh came from their blond friend. “And how are we gonna find it now? We don't know where we left off looking!”

“I think that's a small price to pay to have survived through the whole ordeal with the shadows,” remarked Ignis, arching an eyebrow in challenge to Prompto.

“I guess...” He shuddered at the memory. “It was not a nice feeling, being in there.”

All in a silent agreement, they headed back off through the streets of the ruined city. With the ever-present darkness having been lifted, it was now nice to traverse the ancient streets. It was a glimpse into the past, into a grand civilization that preceded the Crystal Age, and even the founding of Seiyulae. What wonders it must have once held. Noctis could not begin to fathom what the rest of the world would have been like back then, and what had happened to erase it all from their history.

“Is that...the gateway?”

“Doesn't exactly  _ look _ like it would be the Gates of the Underworld,” huffed Prompto, crossing his arms.

Noctis stared at the structure they had stumbled upon as the sun was beginning to set. Situated at the back of the ruins, it appeared untouched by the degradation of time. Spherical in design, the large rings were still. Runes were etched along their surface, whispers of the power it once held coming from them.

“It's at least  _ something _ ,” pointed out the Prince, cautiously moving towards it. Out of everything they had seen in the city so far, it was the only structure that was a drastic difference to everything else. While Noctis rather agreed with his friend that it did not resemble what came to mind when one thought of the Gates of the Underworld, it was better than nothing.

As Noctis and his friends moved in to take a closer look at the structure, he could feel something from it begin to stir. Something was awakening. Whether it was good or bad, he could not yet say.

“Guys? What's going on?” asked Niveus from behind them. Their attention drawn from the device, they looked to the pale woman. Her eyes were wide as they focused on the shard of her necklace that had somehow managed to float into the air. It glowed brightly, pulsating at a steady pace. Noctis could feel the reserves of power radiating from it. He had not felt such power coming from it since the Crystal's shattering. He became a little disheartened, for the power was not for him to use, or even for Niveus, but for something else entirely.

A low groan filled the air. The grinding and rumbling made it clear that whatever was beginning to move had not done so in a long time. Looking back over his shoulder, Noctis gaped at what he saw. The previously lifeless runes glowed with activity. The rings droned with power, slowly adjusting back into their normal function. Grudgingly, the outer rings began to move. Slow at first, they gradually built up speed. With each rotation, the outer rings spread even further out, allowing room for the inner rings to begin moving as well. The entire device hummed with more and more power, a fine vibration travelling through the ground from it.

Once all the rings were rotating at a constant speed, a light began to form at the center. Fed by the power of the device, the light continued to grow, doubling in size each second. Tendrils of light lashed out, but were still contained within the confines of the rings. As fast as the mass of energy had formed, it stabilized. The swirling energy now allowed the entire device to at least resemble a form of gateway.

“So...do we get vaporized before being sent to the Underworld?” questioned Prompto, scratching his head. All of them stared at the formed gateway, wondering how it exactly worked. The rune-etched rings continued to rotate, waiting for something to happen.

“Noctis, something doesn't add up here,” commented Ignis. Having just gathered his nerves and making sure his resolve for going through with the plan had not wavered, Noctis nearly jumped at his friend's remark. With a rather annoyed frown at his friend, he waited for further explanation. They had found the gateway. It had managed to return to life after countless years of slumber. What could the minute detail that caused his bespectacled friend to be concerned be this time? “We assume this is the gateway that will lead us to the Underworld, and yet it appeared to be activated by the Crystal Shards.”

“And? Just what are you getting at, Ignis?”

“Why would a gateway leading to the Underworld, a place where The Light originates from, be activated by the power of the  _ Crystal _ ?”

Noctis' voice caught in his throat. His gaze quickly shifted back to the shard that hung from Niveus neck before switching once more to the ancient gateway. “Maybe it was the only way they could access the Underworld while still being alive?” he theorized with a shrug, not certain of an answer himself. The device had been built ages ago, by a civilization of people he knew nothing about. There may have been many things he still did not know, but there was one thing he was certain of at that point: “Whether this gateway leads to the Underworld or not...it doesn't matter. As long as there's the slightest chance that more Crystal Shards rest on the other side, I need to go.” Noctis swallowed nervously as he stared at the swirling mass of energy. Stepping into the unknown was not so easy. “This is your last chance to back out before it's too—”

“Oh, enough of that!” interrupted Gladiolus, waving a hand to dismiss the matter. “We're seeing this through with you till the end.” Giving nothing more than a simple thumbs-up, their scarred friend headed towards the activated gateway.

“Last one there's a rotten egg!” A warm laugh came from Prompto as he suddenly bolted off. Being his cheeky self, he shoved Gladiolus as he passed by the scarred man. Briefly slowing down, he threw a taunting gesture back to the rest of them.

“Hey!” Quick to act, Gladiolus lunged after Prompto. The blond continued to laugh before the realization that he would be dead if Gladiolus caught him sunk in. With a big gulp, he blond hurried back towards the gateway, more in haste to stay away from his friend than to reach the structure.

He was the first to climb the few steps and reach the center of the platform beneath the rotating rings. Tendrils of energy reached down and began to swirl around the blond, encompassing his entire body. In a matter of seconds, the light vanished, taking Prompto with it. Gladiolus reached the device next, and was wisped away in the same manner.

Having been walking towards the gateway as their friends ran, Ignis sighed softly. “Of course... I never expect any less of them these days.” He shot Noctis a one-sided smile before calmly walking up the steps to be taken to wherever it was the gateway was connected.

Noctis paused before the steps. Not only would the Crystal Shards have to be found, but so too would a way back. Though still resolute in his decision, he could not help but feel somewhat nervous. Chewing on his bottom lip, he looked back to Niveus. She stared up at the vortex of energy, looking to be more curious than anything.

“Are you scared?”

The pale woman shook her head. “No. The Crystal does not seem to consider this a threat li—”

“No,” he chuckled softly, cutting her off. “I'm not asking what you feel from the shards, I'm asking what  _ you _ feel.”

“Oh.” Her gaze dropped to him and she seemed a little flustered at her mistake. She cleared her throat. “A little, I think... But it does not matter.” Before he could ask her anything else, she smiled at him. Almost as though she had read his mind, she said, “Because we've made it this far. I'm sure we can see through whatever's on the other side together. Speaking of that...” Her expression becoming neutral, she started up the steps. “I don't think we should leave them waiting.”

Noctis gave a wry chuckle before nodding and starting up the stairs himself. He slowed, thinking about what she had said. Together... That bitter feeling he got whenever he now thought about restoring their Crystal returned. In some form or another,  _ she _ would no longer be a part of that “together”. Pushing that matter from his mind as best he could, Noctis took a deep breath and allowed himself to be taken by the Gateway.

The sensation was different from when he teleported with his powers. His entire body felt like it was being dematerialized piece by piece. For a moment he feared Prompto's jest had been fact, that they  _ were _ being vaporized. But he still had his thoughts, he still had his mind, he had to still be alive. Noctis held onto that thought as his being was transported through the currents of energy. His time trying to figure out all he was feeling was cut short as he was suddenly thrown against a hard surface.

Coughing, he tried to get what dust had travelled into his lungs out. The ground was cold. At first, he feared that they were once again in an area cursed like the ruins. As Noctis pushed himself up in a hurry, he realized that there was not the same smothering feeling present. The place was just...dead.

“Guys?” he asked, realizing they were not before him. A quick sigh of relief escaped him before he began to worry too much. His friends had simply been standing off to the side out of his initial field of vision. “What are you looking at?”

All four of them were staring upwards. Noctis dusted off his clothes as much as he could, coming to their side. When he looked up to see what had caught their attention, he felt as though his world had been turned upside down...which was nearly very much the case.

“Is that... Is that what I  _ think _ it is?” questioned Gladiolus, his voice weak.

“It can't be! It's impossible!” Prompto vehemently shook his head in protest.

“I don't think our eyes would be playing this kind of trick on us...” muttered Ignis, trying to find the logic in the situation.

“What does this mean?” Her voice the calmest out of them, Niveus looked to Noctis for any sort of answer.

“This...” Noctis swallowed, trying to bring back some amount of moisture to his dry throat. “This  _ isn't _ the Underworld... This isn't even anywhere on  _ our _ world. We're...we're on the  _ moon _ .”

 


	19. Erebus

The unknown vastness of space extended out in all directions, no end of it in sight. So full of wonder and mystery, it was rather daunting to see it so unobstructed. Travelling through space had only ever been a fragment of a thought, not yet something that could be put fully into fruition. No where in their recorded history had anyone been able to achieve such an accomplishment, not even during the peak of prosperity during the Crystal Age, when cities threatened to pierce the heavens themselves. What feats may have been achieved before their known history, none of them could say.

Nothing was certain any more. Every step on the journey had opened murky windows into the past, revealing questions, but not giving answers. What lay before them only formed more mysteries. Hanging over the horizon of the dead land was a massive planet. Warm blues spread out, covering much of the surface area. Masses of browns and greens seeped across the distant blue substance, appearing familiar and foreign at the same time. Wisps of white swirled around, masking the greens and blues in a shawl of silver.

“The moon?” repeated Prompto, his gaze still locked on the massive orb that hung in space and caught the bright rays of sunlight. “You mean  _ our _ moon? The one we see in the sky?”

“One in the same,” muttered Ignis. Their bespectacled friend already seemed much more fascinated and intrigued by what lay before them than the others. If he were surprised at all, he hid it well.

“Then that would make that... _ our _ world?”

“Fits nicely that way, doesn't it? Look, you can even tell that the land mass there is Domumna by the way the coastline goes.”

“But then...? How did...? When were...?” Prompto stared blankly at the massive sphere before switching that gaze to Ignis. “ _ Huh _ ?”

Noctis could hardly complain or make fun of his friend's confusion, for he felt much the same. The moon. That lifeless piece of rock that continually stared down at them from the sky. It had always been there, a constant presence in both the day and night—a far-off place of dreams that no one could touch.

It was then Prompto asked the question that was lingering on all of their minds: “ _ Why _ then, out of all the places in our world—or  _ not _ in our world, apparently—did it send us  _ here _ ?”

“Noctis,” started Ignis after several moments of silence. “Are you able to sense any shards?”

The Prince stared at his friend in momentary wonder, realizing then he should probably close his mouth. He had been so lost in the sight of the dark sky that he had not even bothered checking if what they continued to search for rested on the dead mass of rock. Closing his eyes, Noctis stretched out his senses as far as he could in search of the familiar Crystals. It was distant, and faint, like a long-lost echo, but there was no mistaking it: “They're here.”

“Seriously?” At long last, Prompto switched his gaze to the dark-haired Prince. “You  _ sure _ we're not just in the Underworld then? Why in blazes would the shards be on the  _ moon _ ?”

“Call me crazy, but I think if this were the Underworld...it would be a bit more... _ lively _ ,” remarked Gladiolus, running a hand over his chin. “This place is nothing at all like what I would have expected from the stories.” The words of their scarred friend were true enough. The alien land they were now on...it was lifeless. It was not like the blighted land they been on before travelling to this strange place, that had wanted to suck out all light and hope it could reach, but this...this was as close to nothingness as one could get. Had there once been life on the barren rock, it had long since faded away. All that was left was a cold void—a small steppingstone before the eternal emptiness of space.

“Which way to the shards?” asked their bespectacled friend before Noctis became too lost in staring off into the cosmos. The Prince shook his head to regain his thoughts, returning to focus on the matter at hand.

With an apprehensive lick of his lips, the Prince headed towards the source of the shards' echo. It worried him, the difference in the familiar sensation that indicated the closeness of a shard. What did it mean? Could something have happened to the shards? Were they damaged somehow? Or worse, broken beyond restoration? Noctis felt a bitter feeling churn in the pit of his stomach at the thought. He really must stop jumping to the worst conclusions so quickly. Perhaps it was something more like the nature of the moon itself that was affecting things. Only once they found the shards would his questions be answered.

The cold ground beneath their feet began to change. What was once lifeless rock and dirt became akin to rubble. At least, that was what Noctis assumed it to be. Never had he seen rubble so worn. How old must it be for it to be so fine? But, more importantly, what had once been here to even  _ cause _ the rubble? What secrets had been resting here, undisturbed, for possibly hundreds, even thousands, of years?

“Please tell me I'm not hallucinating. Any of you guys see that?” questioned Prompto, concern in his voice. The blond slowed, his hand rising to point off towards the horizon. Prompto was not hallucinating for Noctis saw it too (unless his friend was referring to something completely different). What he had thought to be distant mountains at first were drawing too close too fast, and no longer formed the shape of normal mountains. Rising up over the horizon were what looked like skyscrapers—man-made buildings appeared to be on the  _ moon _ .

“Is that...a  _ city _ ?” breathed out Gladiolus. Their pace all slowed to a near-stop for a moment, uncertain of how to proceed.

“Should we really be going there?” Prompto looked around nervously for a response. “Maybe this really  _ is _ the Underworld and once we go there, there won't be any going back!”

“I still highly doubt this is the Underworld in any shape or form.” Ignis calmly pushed his glasses up, that familiar expression that he gained whenever he analyzed something returned to his face. “Whatever it is, I think it's all that remains of what's around us now.” Ignis kicked at some of the rubble beneath his feet, most of it clouding up before slowly settling back down. “It would be no different than going into any other ruined city.”

“Yeah, and look how well that worked out for us  _ last _ time.”

While his friends began to argue, the Prince stared on towards the nearing city. Was it best to trek onward, or find a safer route around the alien buildings? Noctis bit his lip momentarily, uncertain of what to do at first. But, when he weighed the options, one reason stood out above the rest:

“The shards are there,” he said, somewhat louder than usual to get the attention of his friends. The voiceless echo of the Crystal Shards were coming from straight ahead. Along with whatever secrets the city itself may have held, it also contained within the fragmented pieces of their guardian.

“That settles it then.” With a huff, Gladiolus continued on towards the towering buildings.

“There better not be more creepy shadows in this place...” sighed Prompto before continuing. Noctis stared on at the city before finding a good walking pace again. Even he was getting a foreboding feeling. But there was no turning back. The shards were there, an they had to be collected.

The foreign structures rose up higher and higher the closer they got. Though degraded and clearly no longer at the height of their upkeep, it must have taken a far superior technology than anything Noctis had seen to create them. In fact, it would have to be akin to the level of capability that it took to build the Obruo. Such craft and form... Who had once lived in the city?

“Have we been here before?” muttered the pale-haired woman from behind. She had stopped to stare up at the skyscrapers that now towered above them. Noctis found himself blinking and attempting to look at the city in a new light. Had they really been here before? How could they have? And yet...why did it feel familiar now that he thought about it?

“Are you remembering something from the Crystal, Niv?” pondered the blond aloud. It certainly seemed like a valid option, and even Noctis had that possibility cross his mind. The city was familiar to him, and to Niveus. The most likely and easiest answer to conclude what that it was somehow the Crystal that was causing them to gain that sense of familiarity with the city. “'Cause how in blazes could we have been here before?”

“It's not the Crystal,” said Gladiolus before Noctis could say anything to reprimand his friend for dismissing Niveus' question so quickly.

“How do you know that?”

“Because  _ I _ also get the feeling I've been here before. And last I checked, I'm definitely not connected to our Crystal in any way.”

Noctis breathed out in disbelief. Not a memory shared with their Crystal? Searching for an answer, he looked around the ruined city once more. If not from their ancient guardian, then where had they seen such a city before? The architecture... The materials... He tried to imagine the city how it must have looked in the height of its glory, and without the black void of space as its background. Try as he might, it was like attempting to remember the scattered pieces of a dream he had years before. He could not gather up enough of the pieces to put it all back together. For him at least, the dream would stay lost.

“Wait...” he breathed. His mouth went dry as he realized just where they had all seen this city before. The buildings had not been destroyed, and the sky had been painted a brilliant display of reds, oranges, and violets, but it was the same city. “Hitomi...” Noctis turned to his friends, his eyes wide in disbelief. Though he had come to the conclusion, the very notion still seemed ridiculous to him. “When we faced Hitomi in her mind... That city we were in... Remember? It was  _ this _ place!” That echo of a once-great city they had been in, it had not been from the young girl's mind. No, he remembered clearly now that the city had been a product of the Crystal.

“Impossible!” blurted Prompto.

Noctis did not want to believe it any more than his friend. “But why?  _ Why _ ?” He looked around the city, confusion clouding his mind. “Why is our Crystal,  _ our _ protector, connected  _ here _ ?” For the first time he could think of, Noctis felt as though their ancient guardian had deserted them. All this time, and it felt as though it had lied to them...lied to  _ him _ . A cry of frustration escaped him. 

“We won't learn anything by just standing here,” informed Ignis. “Where are the shards located, Noct?”

The Prince opened his mouth to respond, but only an odd noise came out, causing him to swiftly close it. The shards... That echo he had felt... “It's everywhere,” he muttered, confusion sinking right back in. “The Crystal Shards... It feels like they're all over the city!” The sensation was still an echo, as though the shards had been crying out for help for far too long, and had since grown hoarse. If there were truly any shards they had to collect while on the moon, their pleas were getting lost and muddied in the ancient echo, making it impossible for Noctis to pick them out.

“...The whole city is filled with shards?” Prompto scratched his head in befuddlement.

“No.” Noctis swiftly swallowed. “No, it's not that. I think it's more like...whatever the reason our Crystal's connected to this place, it's messing up what I can sense.” He gave a helpless shrug as he faced back to his friends. “I don't know where the shards are...if they're actually even  _ in _ this city to begin with.”

“Oh  _ great _ . You mean they could be  _ any _ where on this blasted hunk of rock? We could be searching for  _ weeks _ !”

“Noctis. You are certain you cannot make out the location of the shards we need to find?” Meekly, the Prince shook his head at Ignis. He was in the dark, with no sign of any light in the distance. “Then setting off now could wind up wasting more time in the end. The remains of this city isn't very large. Perhaps we should take a look around first, see if there's anything that can help us. Or, at least, answer any questions about this place.”

“I'm fine with that,” sighed Gladiolus while everyone else remained silent. “If we're going to be wandering around, might as well wander around here first.”

A long sigh escaped Prompto as he threw up his arms. “I guess it'll kind of be like a break after all the crap we've been through recently. Count me in.”

With the course of action having been agreed upon, Noctis started for the nearest building. It was like entering a dried husk. Everything inside the building was a shadow of what it once was. It was more like looking at a poor imitation of a city, rather than looking at the city itself. Hardly anything remained that hinted to the people that must have lived here at one point. Only some furniture and devices that had withstood the test of time gave testament to them.

Any tall structure they entered, they barely went up more than a few floors. Not only did none of them seem to hold anything that would be useful to Noctis and his friends, but he also did not much feel the need to test the structural integrity of the higher levels. Whatever secrets may have been held within the ruins, they seemed to have died with the city. Their only sense of hope came when they entered a fairly mediocre building, at least when compared to the other ruined structures of the city. Compared to anything back home, it still outshone their creations.

Inside was a slightly musty smell. Faint, as though it has dissipated over the years, but a portion of it still lingered. In a way, the smell gave the ruined city a shred of life. Something, at last, was familiar.

“What's that?” Quickly, Ignis pulled away from the others. Past the ancient desk and through what had once been a doorway he quickly went. There was something on the ground he picked up before disappearing behind a wall. “Records!” he yelled out back to them. A cry that was a mix of surprise and joy escaped their bespectacled friend. “I don't believe this! All of this is still here...”

Noctis and the others quickly joined Ignis to see what all the commotion was about. The entire building must have been their record hall. Rows of bookcases spread out in the new room. The parchments and books resting on them must have been the source of the musty smell. So old... The Prince was surprised, and overwhelmed by the fact so much information had survived after all. He could certainly understand why his friend was seeming so ecstatic by the discovery. Along with the old physical records, there were also what appeared to be control panels with viewing screens along the main walls. Without knowing how they worked, or whether they  _ would _ even work now, Noctis could only assume they were also for accessing information.

“No!” cried out Ignis. The records he had been holding began to crumble under his touch. Faster than ever before, he swiftly put the records back in their place before any more damage could be done. Noctis could feel his own hopes sink. Searching through the records was going to be a lot harder if they crumbled at any moment's notice. “Don't touch anything! We don't want to lose any more information.”

A sudden hum filled the air. Noctis could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up from the sudden surge of power that coursed through the room. Looking over his shoulder, the Prince spotted his blond friend standing behind a pedestal that was located inside the record room. What had once been dead along with everything else in the city now flickered to life. Rings that were in front of the pedestal also began to glow.

“What did I just say?” Ignis nearly snapped at Prompto.

“I didn't touch anything!” argued Prompto, raising his hands. “I just walked behind it and  _ bam _ ! It came to life like it had a mind of its own!” Ignis opened his mouth to respond, but it was not his voice that they heard next.

“Whoa! Where'd she come from?!” blurted Gladiolus. All of their attention was drawn to the circles of light on the floor. The image of a woman garbed in a simple grey robe flickered into existence. She stared at Prompto, her gaze unblinking. Noctis stared, rather baffled, at the new woman. She looked so real, and yet, when he reached out to tap her on the shoulder, his gloved hand slipped right through. The light that then rippled over her body was the only indication he had made any sort of contact with her at all.

“Please enter your query.” The Prince felt himself jumping back in surprise at her sudden voice. So life-like, and yet she was just a projection. “If you wish to change to the manual interface from audio, you may do so at any time.”

“I—uh—ah...” Prompto's mouth remained ajar, but, surprisingly, he was speechless.

“Let me.” Gently, Ignis pushed the blond from the pedestal to take his place. The gaze of the projected woman flickered for a moment as her center of attention switched to the brunet. “What is this place?”

“This is the city of Erebus. Exact date of foundation is unknown. It was created with the help of the fal'Cie Osana Lucia, the Light-Giver. All those that live in Erebus are protected by her and the Crystal she left behind.”

“A Crystal...?” breathed Noctis. There had even been a Crystal in this foreign city? Just how many had been in existence before their Crystal Age? Perplexed, Noctis looked to Ignis, who also seemed confused by the information. Nothing they had learned from leaving their home matched to their known history. And this time, the Crystal apparently belonged to someone. Was this Osana akin to Chinoka? Was there some being even behind their own Crystal they did not know about?

“Who is this fal'Cie Osana?” pondered Ignis. At least now when they had a question, they would hopefully get an answer.

“Osana Lucia, the fal'Cie that guards over Erebus and the rest of the moon. It is believed that she is the fal'Cie that brought light to the world. Like other fal'Cie, not much is known about her specifically. The Crystal she bestowed upon the people of Erebus lies at the heart of the city, being a constant reminder of her presence, for she does not often show herself, even to her chosen l'Cie. It is then seen as a great honour to bear witness of her.”

Though the information seemed simple enough, Noctis was having a hard time comprehending it all. What more information had been lost to them over the years? Would it have kept them from falling into this cold war had it remained known?

While Noctis tried to think things through, Ignis continued on with the questions: “What is a l'Cie?”

“L'Cie. It is the title given to those who are chosen by any fal'Cie. Those deemed worthy by the fal'Cie are given great powers. In return for that power, they must carry out any of the fal'Cie's wishes. Most see it as a blessing, but some consider it a burden for the tasks the fal'Cie give can vary greatly.”

“Noct...” muttered Prompto. The Prince turned to his blond friend, knowing full well what was coming next. “Does this make you a l'Cie?” Noctis looked to the projected woman, but her expressionless face gave no more answers. L'Cie. Those chosen by the fal'Cie, the beings behind the Crystals. The people of Seiyulae had called Chunhei a Senae, and she had been chosen by Chinoka. For as long as he knew, anyone bestowed with powers from their Crystal was simply called a Protector. Different terms had formed over the years, but they must have all been the same. “But then...what's the task the Crystal, or  _fal'Cie_ , apparently, gave you?”

Noctis had to think for a moment. It was not as though anyone, or any _thing_ , had specifically come to him and spelled out a mission he had to follow. But, there was one thing he and the other Protectors always had to do: “Defend the Crystal.” The Prince pursed his lips together. It seemed like such a mundane task to be given now that he thought about it. And why were all of the Protectors given the same task if they are said to vary? “It's the one thing any Protector, I mean... _l'Cie_ ...” The new term still sounded odd to him. “...Must do in return for the powers we're given.”

“Maybe this is why you're sensing shards all over the city.” Tilting his head, Noctis arched an eyebrow at Ignis in question. “This Erebus was clearly a place that used the power of the Cyrstals...or the fal'Cie, depending on how you want to look at it now. Perhaps it's the remnants of the Crystal that was once here that you're sensing, and that's what is throwing you off.”

Nodding numbly in return, Noctis thought that possibility over. It seemed like it could certainly be the case, and they did not know enough about the Crystals, and now the fal'Cie, to be able to prove or disprove it. Whatever the reason behind that was, it did not change the fact that this city had lost their Crystal. The thought made Noctis feel sick to his stomach. The ruins of Erebus...it reminded him too much of how he pictured their home would look if they did not restore the Crystal.

“But still... What happened to this city?”

“Let's find out.” Ignis calmly pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “What happened here?”

The projection blinked for the first time since her appearance. “My apologies. I am unable to process that request. Please reword your question and try again. Remember, you may switch to the manual interface at any time for easier access to information.”

“Man, it's like dealing with Vacua all over again,” huffed Prompto.

“What happened to cause Erebus to be destroyed?”

“My apologies. No information comes up under that search. Please state a new search parameter.”

“Ignis. Let's assume for a moment that whatever happened here happened suddenly. Would they have had time to put it into their records?” pondered Gladiolus.

Their bespectacled friend tapped a finger to his chin for a moment. “That's actually a good point.”

Gladiolus' expression immediately fell. “You say that as though you're surprised I thought of it...” All their scarred friend got for a response was a meek shrug.

“All right, let's try this again... What is the most recent entry made?”

The projection took a moment, as though she was scanning through the mass amount of information that must be stored. “Allied city of Velens has fallen. The last remaining gateway to Erebus has fallen into enemy hands. Defences are being prepared, but the forces of The Light are a powerful foe. Not even the powers of the fal'Cie have been able to withstand them. Osana Lucia is doing all she can to help the people of Erebus, but the destruction of the other fal'Cie has hit her hard. It is feared that Erebus and its fal'Cie will not make it through an invasion.”

Noctis bit the inside of his cheek, waiting for more. But...nothing came. The projection grew silent once again, her dark eyes focused only on Ignis to await further input.

“That's it?” Prompto walked up to the projected woman, as though it would make her answer him. “That's the last recording?”

“It looks like their fears came true, if that's the last recording...” sighed Gladiolus.

Noctis felt a weight press down on him. The Light... He could hardly believe people had used it as such a weapon. A weapon to fight against the Crystals, the fal'Cie, no less. His two worlds had come into full collision, and he did not like it. Why did he have to see The Light? It made him feel like an enemy to what he was sworn to protect. A light  _thud_ from behind drew him from his thoughts.

“Niveus?” His eyes went wide as he saw what had happened to her. Having fallen down against one of the shelves, the white-haired woman seemed extremely limp and exhausted. Any colour that had been in her complexion was completely drained. Quickly, he rushed to her side and felt her forehead in fear of her suddenly having contracted a fever. Not any warmer, if at all, she felt colder. A glow from around her neck brought his attention to the Crystal Shard, the pulsating light growing brighter and fainter constantly, as though energy were feeding through it. He felt the colour suddenly drain from his face. How could he have been so blind? “ _Ignis_ ! Get  _off_ it! Get away from the pedestal!”

As the Prince rose, Ignis backed off from the pedestal as though it had suddenly turned into a poisonous fiend. “What's wrong?” Noctis did not answer. He merely watched as the projection flickered out of existence as quickly as it had when it first appeared. The hum of power in the room slowly died down, and the pedestal, and even the floor, returned to their previously dormant states. Only once it had completely gone back offline did he breathe out in relief. “Noct, why the sudden change? What's wrong with Niveus?”

Noctis knelt back down by the woman's side. The Crystal Shard had ceased glowing, but she was still very pale. “You said it yourself: Erebus was a city that used the power of the Crystal, the power of this fal'Cie. That device didn't just happen to wake up after all these years. It was able to turn on because it was using power from  _our_ Crystal. And, maybe because it's broken and not at its full potential, it was draining power from  _Niveus_ .” A heavy sigh escaped him. He had not felt a thing. Was not he too connected to their Crystal? Why did it not take any power from him?

“I'm sorry. I didn't realize what was happening.”

“Why didn't you say anything?” asked Noctis, looking back to the paler-than-normal woman. “We would have stopped.”

Her eyes slowly focused on him. They were fainter than he would have liked. “You needed information... I'll be fine, really. I'm just sorry I wasn't able to hold out longer...”

Sighing, Noctis shook his head. He gave Niveus a stern gaze before nudging her forehead, a one-sided grin tugging at his lips. “Idiot.”

“So no more touching anything while in Erebus,” stated Ignis from behind.

“Huh? Why are you looking at  _me_ ?” Snapped Prompto, getting defensive. “I told you, I just stepped on that thing!”  
“Which is a form of touching. We must be careful around everything here now.”

Noctis managed to mute his friend's voices. All he focused on at that moment was Niveus' well-being. Holding her hand firmly, he tried to help her up. Though the Crystal Shards were no longer draining energy from her, she had yet to fully recuperate, and was having trouble standing on her own.

“She needs to rest,” sighed Gladiolus, who had also broken away from the “conversation” Ignis and Prompto were having. Their scarred friend was quick to help Noctis in supporting Niveus, and ended up taking on all of her weight to keep her from collapsing again. It looked as though she had already fallen asleep, and was no longer responsive to anything going on around her. “And so could the rest of us, for that matter. Being in that mess in Velens and now here...it's been a long day.”

“Yes, but where?” Noctis craned his head over his shoulder, glancing in the direction of the street outside. “We still don't know what's safe and what's not in this place.”

“Well what about here? Nothing seems wrong with it, and I'd feel safer in this building than even on the ground floor of one of those skyscrapers.”

The Prince's gaze flickered over to the pedestal for a moment, as though it were now an enemy he had to be wary of. “And what if the device saps even more of her strength?”

“It seems to be fine as long as no one's using it,” commented Ignis, joining the discussion. “If we keep away to make sure it's not activated, I think she should be fine.”

Chewing his bottom lip, Noctis quickly weighed the options. He could find no reason to argue with his friends. Their input, as usual, was quite useful. With their choice made, Noctis and his friends headed back into the front room of the record hall. The farther away from that device, the happier he would be.

Still seeming unconscious, Niveus was placed gently on the ground. It was all they could do for her at the moment. Hopefully it would not take her too long to regain her strength. With all of them having selected their own places to rest, Noctis tried to find a comfortable position for him to be able to sleep. It was much harder than he would have liked on the old floor. No matter which way he turned, or where he tried to shift to, there was always something jutting into his back in just the wrong place. There was one thing he was going to fully appreciate when they finally returned home: normal beds.

Somehow, despite his discomfort, Noctis began to fall asleep. The stress in Velens really had tired him out more than he wanted to admit. So much had happened all at once. And now there was all this new information he had to deal with. Fal'Cie. L'Cie. As he felt sleep slowly take over his thoughts, he could not decide whether he was excited or concerned over finding out what they had learned.

 

_Darkness. It was always darkness. Every nightmare had started with darkness, so why was this one different? The ancient city of Erebus rose up before him. The mighty skyscrapers rose up so high that they were nearly piercing the twilight-painted sky. As his gaze travelled down, the city began to transform. Prosperity turned to destruction. The skyscrapers that had once risen proudly into the sky toppled over like they had been made of twigs. There was nothing he could do to stop it._

_But there. A light. Noctis could not help but gain a sense of relief despite the destruction that was wrecked upon Erebus. The pale-blue light that almost resembled a figure slipped off down the streets. Noctis called out after it, but it did not stop. Managing to gain control of his feet, the Prince raced after the figure, the city of Erebus still crumbling around him. Following the figure of light was much harder than he had expected. Moving too fast for him to see, he had to rely on the glowing trail left behind to know where it had gone._

_Panting, Noctis was finally able to cease running. The figure had come to a stop at what felt like the heart of the city. Only, they were no longer alone. A massive machine, that seemed almost organic in construction, towered over the pale-blue figure. Noctis yelled out in protest, rushing towards them in hopes of stopping what he could see coming. The machine raised its weapon formed of a dark light, and, before Noctis could get any closer, brought it down to strike the pale-blue figure._

_The shield that had been created shattered. Nothing could seem to stop the force of the weapon of dark light. A cry of anguish erupted from Noctis. He had felt that blade pierce through his entire body and soul. His life began to fade from him. Body growing limp, and his limbs growing cold, Noctis collapsed to the ground as the figure of light shattered out of existence._

 

With a yelp of surprise, Noctis bolted up from the hard ground. It took him a moment to remember where he was, but when he did, he quickly looked around to see if he had woken any of his friends. They were all still fast asleep, a loud snore coming from Gladiolus helping to prove that. Noctis was only thankful for a moment before memories of his new nightmare returned.

He could still feel the wound through his body. Not only did he now have the physical pain, but it felt like the night their Crystal shattered. That sense of loss loomed over him once again, devouring his very being. He clutched at his head, trying to tell himself it had not been real. It had just been a dream...a nightmare. But...why had it been different? Had their Crystal, or even the remnants of the fal'Cie of Erebus, been trying to tell him something? When he tried to think it over to put together the pieces, all he wound up with was a big, fat headache.

Sighing, Noctis pushed himself up. Sleep, he knew now, was going to elude him for yet another night. A walk at least would hopefully do him some good, if not make him tired again. As he started to quietly exit the record halls, he noticed something: a certain pale-haired woman was no longer there with the others.

A light groan escaped the Prince. “Not again...” A bit more swiftly now, he left his three friends behind to sleep as he came out to the ruined streets. Only then did he realize that he had no idea where to find Niveus. Meekly, he looked down to the ground. Just as he thought, it would not be like the mountaintop where he had been able to follow her footprints in the snow. There was no indication of her even exiting the building, at least none that he could see.

With a frustrated sigh, Noctis pursed his lips together in annoyance. What if she had stumbled onto some other ancient device and the Crystal was now seeping her strength yet again? He had no idea where he should start looking for her. About to turn back to get help from his friends, Noctis stopped mid-stride. What if she had simply had the same nightmare that had plagued his mind?

It took no more than a moment's hesitation to decide that he would try his hunch on where to find her. He would just have to trust that she was able to stay away from anything that could be harmful to her, and was in no immediate danger. The musty smell from the record hall faded behind as he set off down the empty streets.

The ruins of Erebus made him much more solemn that he would like. They still managed to remind him too much of what he feared their home would become. Trying to push those thoughts from his mind, Noctis continued walking...with no great idea of where to go. The heart of the city... Well that could have been anywhere, actually. It could even have been destroyed. But continue on he did. It were as though something were guiding him, aiding him in deciding which streets to turn down.

Buildings appeared less damaged the further he went. Things were starting to feel familiar now even, as though he had seen it all before in some dream. Which, when he thought about it for a second, he probably had. The buildings around him lessened, and the area before him opened up. Part of him had expected there to be something grand...but he was met by a multitude of nothing. Well, almost nothing. Standing atop a large platform was Niveus.

“Y'know, you  _really_ should stop wandering off like that,” sighed Noctis as he neared her side.

Niveus seemed somewhat startled by his approach. She dipped her head slightly to him. “I'm sorry. I just...had to come here...”

“Are you feeling better?” He leaned forward to try and get a better look at her. Her skin no longer seemed so pale. It had regained what colour had been there prior. And, quite obviously, she was once again able to stand on her own two feet.

“Much.” Niveus nodded to him before lowering her gaze once again. “Does this place seem familiar to you?”

“Erebus?” He blinked in confusion. Had they not already been over this? “Yeah, this city feels familiar to all of u—”

“Not the city.” She shook her head. “ _This_ place. Right here.”

Noctis shifted his attention to the platform and the surrounding area. Ancient runes of a forgotten script were carved into the platform below them. The runes were worn away greatly, but still managed to remain. Everything else in the courtyard-like area seemed to be focused towards the platform, as though it had once held something great. The platform felt...empty. It was not meant to be like this. There was meant to be something on the platform. When he closed his eyes, he could only picture a Crystal...a blood-red one.

“This is where...we faced Hitomi in her mind, wasn't it?” A bitter taste rose in his mouth at the memory. This location was also where he had just been destroyed in his nightmare. This place...was it where Erebus' Crystal had rested?

“I believe it was...” Her voice had become distant all of a sudden. Looking back up, Noctis felt a pang through his being when he saw her expression.

“Niveus... That wasn't your fault.”

She clenched her hands to try and keep them from shaking. “Maybe not... But what if it was?” She shook her head. “I still can't stop thinking about it. What if I had been able to do something else? Would she still be alive?”

A heavy sigh escaped the Prince. Her mind seemed set, and there was not much he could do to change it. At the very least, he could help to get her mind off that memory. “Say, Niveus. We've collected quite a lot of the shards now, actually. Do you...do you have any memories from before you met us?”

Her body ceased to shake, and Noctis let out a silent sigh of relief. At least the main reason behind his question seemed to have been a success. Now he could only hope he did not make matters worse.

Niveus laced her fingers together and stared off into space. No, not space. Rather, she seemed to be focused on something that should have been in front of them on the platform. “Bits and pieces, now when I think about it... It feels...like I'm looking through fog and can't pick anything out, but I know they're there. In a way...it's more like I'm remembering feelings...rather than specific memories, y'know?”

A wry chuckle escaped Noctis. “Not really, no... So, what do you remember?”

“I remember... I remember there used to be others with me... We were all so happy. Everyone was... I can't believe how happy I was...” A faint smile found its way to her lips for a brief moment. Happiness. Noctis was glad that was a memory she could now recall. But that smile quickly faded away. “But then the pain comes... Such terrible pain... I can hear their voices crying out for help before they vanish into the night, never to be heard from again... I feel...cold and alone. There's no one left. I'm...all alone...”

“Niveus...” That pain she felt, he could hear it in her voice. It probably would have been better had he not brought it up at all. There had to be some way he could make her feel better. Seeing her in pain like this...it was not something he wanted. “You're not alone.”

Was this the right thing to do? It had happened so impulsively that he had not thought about any downsides. It just...felt right. That was good enough for now. Without saying anything more, he had pulled her into an embrace. He could feel her stiffen under his touch, probably no accustomed at all to such a gesture. But he would not let her go.

“Noctis, wha—”

“Shh.” Hushing her silently, he only held her tighter. “Please... Please let's just stay like this...” The tighter he held her, the more he could already feel her slipping through his fingers. Each step they took drew them closer and closer to her end. He was not prepared for her to leave. Maybe he would have been fine with that back when they first had met...but no more. “Just a little bit longer...”

He no longer wanted to let her go.

 


	20. Murderer

“...-ake up. Hey...! Wake up! Hey,  princess, your beauty sleep is over!”

_Smack_ .

Noctis bolted upright in less than a second, automatically trying to attack the person that had caused him harm. A cry of surprise escaped Prompto as he lost his balance from avoiding Noctis' retaliation. The Prince's mind remained foggy for a moment as he tried to make sense of his current location. Erebus. An ancient city that had long been hidden in the shadows of their moon. That was where they were. Fal'Cie. L'Cie. What other secrets dwelt in the shadows of their Crystal? Though no longer confused about where he was, Noctis' thoughts now swam in turmoil from yesterday's revelations. Was he truly a l'Cie? And if so, where was the fal'Cie that was connected to their Crystal?

Trying to push the matter aside for now, the Prince ran a tired hand down his face, favouring the side he had been hit. “What was  _that_ for?” he nearly growled, shooting an unhappy glare at his blond friend. After having gotten smacked more than he would have liked back in the town that had been trapped in time, he was not looking for a reprisal of that memory at all.

“You needed to be woken up.” Prompto gave an innocent shrug. That caused Noctis to glare even more. Surely there could have been less painful ways to wake him up. “I can't remember the last time it took that much to wake you. Something happen last night?”

Growing tense, the Prince was a fraction of a second away from blurting out a “no”, hoping that none of them had seen him last night. He thought he was safe from any potential teasing, for they had all still been asleep when he returned. But still, his momentary hug with Niveus aside, which caused him to clear his throat at the memory, something else had happened last night:

“No nightmare...” he breathed out in realization.  Granted, there had been the initial terror where he had felt himself die along with that being of light, but when he had returned to sleep...there had been nothing. No endless dream. No voiceless cry for help. There had been nothing to interrupt his sleep. For the first time in what felt like forever, he had actually woken refreshed...save for the smack to his face.

“What?”

Eyes flickering up to his friend, Noctis shook his head slightly. “Never mind.” They still did not know the full extent of his nightmares. They were something he kept to himself, even now. In a somewhat twisted way, it was a reminder that only he was truly connected to their Crystal. No matter what, it was still only  _he_ that it called out to for help.

“Whatever,” sighed Prompto when it became clear that Noctis would say no more on the matter. The blond stood up and placed his hands on his hips. “So, where're we headed?”

For more time than he would have liked, staring blankly was all Noctis could do. Finding out what they had about Erebus had actually managed to push aside what was constantly on his mind: the Crystal Shards. Now, when he returned his focus to them...he still could sense nothing. Were the shards even on the moon? Was this nothing more than a pointless chase? Had precious time been wasted? And, if not here, then where could the shards be? Were they truly in the Underworld? If so, then how would Noctis and his friends possibly get there if the supposed Gates of the Underworld had led them to Erebus?

Still Noctis stared at his friend. As long as the ruins of Erebus continued to cloud his senses, he could make neither heads nor tails of where they should go while on the moon,  _if_ there was even anywhere on the moon for them to go. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was not his voice he heard.

“Not far,” answered Niveus. The pale woman was staring off in what seemed like a random direction, but, after thinking over a second, Noctis was certain it was the source of whatever it was she referred to. Trying to make sense of everything, the Prince stared off in that direction as well, as though it would actually change things. As he had feared, it did not. Still his senses remained muddled. Whatever it was Niveus assumed to be out there, he could not find. Brow knotting together, Noctis looked back to her. Was it even a Crystal Shard she sensed?

“Really now? This true, Noct?”

Blinking, the Prince looked to his friend, finding it much more of a restraint to keep himself from going “what?” than he would have liked. Truth was, he could neither confirm nor deny what Niveus sensed. And, while it would most likely be simpler to confess that he did not sense anything out there, he could only see that course ending in embarrassment. He still could not help them here. He was still lost in the fog, and did not like it in the slightest. While unknown, at least Niveus was giving them some sort of direction. It was better than nothing, right?

“Yeah.” Noctis nodded. He cleared his throat and swallowed, trying his best to hide any doubt he may have had. “We should go check it out.” As they left the ruined building and made their way to the edge of what remained of Erebus, Niveus leading the way for once, Noctis could not help but wonder what evils may linger on...and that they might be forced to cross.

The Light... As his feet crunched over the rubble remains of the outskirts of the city, he could only help but wonder how had that power been able to destroy such a place. How did The Light even become such an enemy? He knew the two forces were different, the Crystals, or fal'Cie it seemed, and The Light, but never once figured they would be so opposed.

It seemed as though history was always destined to repeat itself. In their known past alone, the Crystals had been destroyed, one after the other. And now they knew that had already been done. These fal'Cie...they had been slaughtered by those wielding The Light as a terrible weapon. He had felt only a fraction of what it must have been like in his nightmare. To have not only your home destroyed like that, but yourself as well...it was everything Noctis feared would come to pass if they did not restore their Crystal.

“Can you actually sense anything?” asked Niveus quietly. Caught by surprise, Noctis looked over to the pale woman, not having noticed that she slowed down enough to match pace with him. Quickly, the Prince checked over his shoulder. Assurance only came when he noticed his friends were in their own discussion, something about how Erebus had managed to stay hidden for so long, from what he overheard.

“No,” mumbled Noctis, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I don't understand why it's like this. Before, I just couldn't sense any more shards. Now, well...” A frustrated sigh escaped him. “It's like I'm listening to an echo that's been lingering here for thousands of years... It's all over the place—I have no idea where anything's coming from.”

“Is it because of Erebus?” She tilted her head at him. It was funny, now that he thought it about it as he glanced at her. At first, he had not cared about it, or had even found it a little annoying with how often stuff confused her. But now...it was almost comforting to see. That small head tilt. It was a part of who she was, and possibly who she had been. An insight into the person he wanted to save—that was how Noctis saw it now.

The Prince pursed his lips together slightly, his thoughts returning to the point Niveus had brought up. Only a furrow of confusion crossed his brow. “But...why would the city cause that?”

Clasping her hands together, buying a few extra seconds in which she could gather her thoughts. That slight frown she donned let Noctis know that she was thinking carefully how to phrase what she wanted to explain. “Not the city itself... But, there was a Crystal here...and that fal'Cie that was mentioned. Perhaps it is because of what happened here, what happened to that fal'Cie, that you're unable to sense anything while here... Something so horrible that the shadowed scars of the past cannot be healed... They merely echo on through the ages...”

_“You are chasing after shadows now—a hopeless dream.”_

A scowl formed across his face as Chinoka's words rose from his memories. At first, he had merely assumed she had been referring to restoring their Crystal. That had made little sense to him, even now. Tracking down and gathering the shards could not be a hopeless dream—a pointless journey, as she had described it. But, maybe, what if she had actually be referring to the fal'Cie?

Were they were dead? Gone? Before yesterday, none of them had known them to even to have existed. Even during the Crystal Age, there was never any word of these beings behind the Crystals. Noctis had known their Crystal to be alive, but he had always thought that to be the Crystal itself, not some connection to an ancient fal'Cie.

The Prince shook his head slightly, still denying what Chinoka had said. For whatever cruel twist of fate history had played on them, the fal'Cie were gone. But the Crystal, more importantly,  _ their _ Crystal was not. It was not some hopeless dream to restore their eternal guardian. The fal'Cie's time may have since passed, but a part of them still lived on and could be saved.

“What about you?” he asked, returning to the conversation at hand. “Why can you sense it now?”

“I-I don't know.” She looked at him, a hopeless glint behind her eyes. It made as little sense to her as it did him. “I don't even know if it's a Crystal Shard I sense... But there's something here. Something in the back of my mind, like a whisper, that's slowly been growing louder...”

“Wait... How long have you been sensing this?” As he waited for a response, she glanced away. By avoiding his eye contact, she tried to avoid answering. Immediately, he grew concerned. Noctis knew she did not give the most elaborate of answers, but to get no answer at all was odd. “Niveus. When did you start sensing this?”

“Since Hitomi,” she eventually responded.

“Why didn't you say anything before?” It took more restraint than he would have liked to keep his tone from sounding overly demanding. All this time, and she had sensed something?

“I didn't know what to make of it. I still don't.” She was lost. Confused. All of this was still foreign to her. A heavy sigh escaped Noctis as he ran a hand down his face.

“It's okay... Just... Next time anything like that happens to you,  _ talk _ to us. You don't have to deal with this on your own.” 

“Hey, what're you lovebirds talking about?”

Noctis felt himself bristle at Prompto's question. Hurried footsteps grew louder before a large weight came down on the Prince's shoulders. His old friend kept an arm slung around his shoulder, quickly coming into stride beside him. Those curious eyes that hungered for an answer glanced between Noctis and Niveus. Knowing full well that it would only make matters worse if he tried to deny the tease, Noctis cleared his throat and did his best to ignore it.

“What's actually here,” answered the Prince, trying to remove Prompto's hold on him.

“Wait. You mean it might not actually be a shard?” In the moment of surprise, Noctis was able to free himself from his friend. “But then...what is it?”

“We don't know.” Noctis was only able to shrug helplessly. “Whatever happened here, it's still messing with being able to sense the shards.” His eyes darted to Niveus. It was not so much a lie, as a mix of truths. That would have to do for now. Besides, he needed the practice for whenever he had to deal with politics back home.

“So...after all this...we might not even  _ get _ a shard?! What else could possibly be  _ here _ ?!”

“We'll soon find out.” Only once she spoke did Noctis realize that Niveus had stopped walking. She looked around their location before seeming somewhat content. “It's here.”

“Seriously?” The blond scratched his head and stared rather puzzled at their surroundings. “But... _ nothing's _ here.” It was a true enough statement. They had since passed the ruined outskirts of Erebus, and were back out on the dead, solemn land of the moon. Emptiness was surrounded by only more emptiness. The sombre memories clung to the ground, suffocating it. The wounds it held could not be healed.

Noctis surveyed the ground before them. Even here, he still sensed nothing. All he could do was trust in Niveus. While they could not be certain what was here, he had to believe that there was something. She would not lead them astray, at least not intentionally.

“So, what, we gonna deal with a some sort of rock fiend to get the shard?” In his frustration, or possibly boredom, Prompto kicked at a stone that had been in front of his foot. It skipped across the ground before settling back down. A grunt of pain then escaped the blond, too soon after his action to be a coincidence. Sure enough, it had been caused by Ignis grabbing a hold of Prompto's arm rather painfully. “ _ Ouch _ ! What was that for?” Annoyed, he batted the hand away. “That's gonna leave a bruise...”

“If it  _ is _ a rock fiend, it would not be a wise choice  _ not _ to disturb it...” warned Ignis, his look stern before he backed away from Prompto. “Think before you do stuff, all right?”

“Guys...?” asked Gladiolus, his voice sounding much more concerned than usual. Focus settled onto their scarred friend. Already he gripped his weapon. Seeing that did not instill the Prince with comfort. Everything was dead here, right? What could possibly still be a threat after all these years? Noctis immediately chided himself for thinking such a foolish thing. Velens had been proof that danger could still lurk even long after the source of it had died out. “Was it just me, or did any of you see a flash come up through the ground too?”

“Flash from the... Wha?”

While his friends focused back on the ground on confusion, Noctis was not given that luxury. As a faint light flashed up from beneath the ground, he could feel the hand of fear dig its claws into him. Despite not being his own, the fear still threatened to petrify him. Another flash. It was different from the fear the Obruo made him feel. This was...worse. If the threat caused by the Obruo was just a general sense of danger, whatever lurked beneath the dead ground was much more personal. The mound before them began to shake, and Noctis could only wonder what ancient rage had awakened.

“No, no, no, no, no...!” rasped Niveus. Just like with the Obruo, the fear latched onto her much worse than it did Noctis. He never liked that.  _ He _ should be the one to take the brunt of the terror, not her.

“Niveus, what is it?” questioned Ignis, keeping an eye on the transforming ground. Dirt and rocks rolled away as something began to rise up from the depths.

“ _ Murderer _ !” she yelled, gripping at her hair, staggering back as if wounded. “Slaughterer! The Trucido... It massacred everything here!” Hands shaking, her grip slipped from her head to her arms. Pain that had begun to creep across her face grew only worse with each passing second.

A sudden burst brought Noctis' attention from Niveus back to what was rising. Claw-like digits groped the air before firmly landing on the ground. Though darker, the limb appeared to be made of a similar material to the Obruo. A machine, yet still seeming organic in nature. It was sickening, really. The more of the machine appeared, the more the fear gripped Noctis. He had to stay above it. He could not succumb to the terror.

“Darkness of The Light... Soulless... Lifeless... Only death remains...”

“Niveus! Get a hold of yourself! Don't let it consume you!” His voice stern, Noctis grabbed onto her shoulders firmly. She had to be reminded that she was still safely with them. If she lost herself to the fear and memories of the Crystal, he was not sure what to do. Her pale eyes managed to focus on him for a moment. Such terror behind them... No person should ever have to feel that afraid. Her breathing still rapid, she opened her mouth to respond when something else grabbed her attention.

“The murderer is here!” she panted, grabbing a hold of Noctis' arm and clutching tightly. He winced as her nails dug into his skin more than he would have liked. “The Gates have been opened! Death comes for us! There is no escape...!”

Uncertain of how to help Niveus any further at the moment, Noctis dared look over his shoulder to view their foe. When he did, the claw of dread nearly tore through him completely.

Looming higher than he had expected, the ancient machine stood still once it rose completely above the surface. Dark artificial skin remained dull after all the time it had been covered up by the dead earth. Its structure was akin to the Obruo, only lither, almost like an upgraded version of the destroyers. Trucido... That was the name Niveus had said in fright. Even with having never seen it before, or fully aware what it was capable of doing, Noctis could tell that title was all too fitting. Only a small shred of hope came when he noted that the Trucido was no longer in perfect condition. Part of the torso, and what Noctis assumed to be the head, were damaged. How much that would help them, he could not be certain.

“ _ Aaahh _ !” A cry of pain filled the air before the Trucido even moved. Niveus' body became tense in his hold before she fell to the ground.

“Niveus! What's wrong?” He reached out for her again as he knelt down by her side. But she would not accept his aid. Quickly, she pulled way from his hold as though his very touch had hurt her somehow.

“It burns!” she hissed, clutching at her arms. “My scars! They burn...!”

“What?” he breathed out in disbelief. Without asking or giving notice, he pulled up one of her sleeves. Sure enough, her scars were no longer pale and faded. Red and raw, they looked as though they had only just sealed over the day prior. Why were they suddenly like this? The pain they were giving Niveus appeared to be almost unbearable for her. Rising, Noctis looked back to the Trucido. Those unnatural-orange eyes glowed bright in the darkness, nearly chilling him to the bone and trapping him. Lights flickered, and exposed circuits sparked. They would not be safe from its wrath for much longer. “Gladiolus... Take Niveus away from here!”

Baffled, their scarred friend sent Noctis an odd stare before focusing back on the Trucido. “At a time like  _ this _ ?!”

“I don't think she'll be any good in this fight! Not to mention, I bet that blasted thing would be greatly interested in the shards she has!”

“But—”

“Do it! And get back here as soon as you can!” There was no further arguing. As the Trucido took a massive step forward, Gladiolus grunted in frustration, picked the nearly petrified Niveus up, and headed back towards Erebus as fast as he could.

“Great. How exactly are we meant to even  _ defeat _ this thing? If I remember correctly, it was tough enough to beat one of those Obruo! And that was while it had  _ limbs _ missing!” Prompto came over to Noctis' side, his shotgun aimed right at the ancient machine. The lights for its eyes flickered momentarily, as though it were still taking time to fully power up.

“We attack its weak points! That's all we really can do for now...” informed Ignis. As he raised his hand, small sparks of lightning coursed over his fingers. If the new foe before them was even remotely like the Obruo after all, then lightning-based spells were their best chance.

“Noct! You keep it away from us!” The Prince did not argue. With ranged attacks not being his strength, it really was the only thing he could do. “No getting squished, y'hear?” That made Noctis grow a little more nervous as he neared the Trucido. With the height of the machine's foot coming up to his waist alone, being stepped on was a very real threat. But, he had to find some way to taunt the ancient creation. Not only to keep away from Prompto and Ignis, but to also draw its attention away from where Niveus had been taken. Ancient enemy of the Crystal... Even after all the time being spent dormant, it still followed the objectives it had been given.

Calling upon the power of the Crystal, Noctis drew forth his sword. With the shards Niveus held getting further away each moment, he had to use his abilities quickly before they weakened. The Crystal answered his call and he could feel its power rush through him. Land slipped out from beneath his feet as he used the power to teleport to the wounded torso of the Trucido.

As gravity began to take hold of him again, Noctis lashed out at the Trucido. Much to his dismay, despite having put all his strength behind the attack, he did nothing more than scrape against the husk of the machine. Even the exposed internal components were much more impervious than he had expected. There was a whirring noise that rose in the air, and some sparks shot out from the wound in the torso. For a brief moment, Noctis believed he had actually done something when suddenly a massive force crashed into him and sent him flying into the dead ground.

His head ringing, Noctis looked up to see the piercing orange eyes staring straight at him. Though his attack had been rather ineffective, at least its attention had been drawn to the Prince. A partial success was better than nothing. The Trucido lowered its arm back down, claws flexing from being used again. Even though he had been there for no more than a few seconds, it had been able to swat him away so quickly. The small battle experience they had against the Obruo may not be as much help against the Trucido as they had thought.

Lightning exploded inside the exposed torso. Noctis' unsuccessful attack had at least given Ignis time to ready his spells. A shower of bullets then came down upon the weakened area, Prompto's aim never failing them. Noctis took that chance to teleport once more to the Trucido's torso, the Crystal already responding to him slower than he would have liked. He dove his sword into the various components and circuitry, trying his hardest to get through the resistance. This could work. It felt like they were actually making progress against the machine. But, even that could not last.

A cry of pain escaped Noctis as the Trucido smashed into his already injured side again. His sword was flung from his grip, no longer able to keep a hold of it.

“Noct! Are you all right?!” Everything he heard now was temporarily muffled. He could feel Prompto's footsteps more than he could hear them as his friend neared his side. Spitting some blood from his mouth, Noctis managed to push himself back up. When he saw the Trucido, it felt as though even more blood had drained from him.

Despite their effort, despite their combined barrage on one of the weakened points of the Trucido, the ancient machine continued to function as though nothing had happened to it. All they had done...and nothing more than a mere scratch had been left behind. If anything, the Trucido seemed to move faster now. It was waking up, and still there was only one thing on its artificial mind: the Crystal. Unfamiliar noises coming from the Trucido, it switched its attention back on the direction Niveus had been taken.

They were not worth anything to the machine. Its attention could not be kept for more than a moment at best. Insects, that was all they were to the Trucido; meaningless bugs that were not even worth the amount of time it would take to squash.

“Keep attacking!” ordered Noctis as Prompto tried to help him to his feet. “We have to keep that thing here!” His friend was momentarily torn between helping Noctis' injuries and following the orders. With a light curse, Prompto returned to firing at the Trucido. Spells and bullets clashed against its body, each appearing to do less and less damage over time. The longer this almost pointless assault went on, the more impervious the Trucido was becoming.

Yelling out in frustration, Noctis summoned his sword back into his grip. Even if it was useless, he had to keep trying. If it got to their Crystal... He did not want to think about that dark outcome. But all no longer seemed lost. The Trucido's eyes glistened momentarily as it turned back towards Noctis.

“Of course...” he breathed out when he realized what it meant. It was the power of the Crystal that was capable of distracting the Trucido. If that was truly the case, then Noctis knew what he now had to do. Calling upon the power of their eternal guardian, he asked for it to hang on for a while longer. With it still being incomplete, Noctis tried to avoid using its powers unless he truly had to. However, now was not the time for him to hold back.

Teleporting to the Trucido, Noctis slashed out at one of its legs. If he happened to cause minor damage to it, that was now nothing more than a happy side-effect. Using the Crystal's power as much as he could was now his main goal. With his new tactic set, Noctis managed to wisp himself away before the Trucido could attack him again. The Prince barely allowed himself a moment's pause to breathe before teleporting back in towards the Trucido. On his fourth attempt, Noctis was forced to cease his constant teleporting. Something was wrong.

His breathing heavy, Noctis tried to regain some fraction of his strength. Even after shattering, using the Crystal's powers never left him this...exhausted. The Trucido's unsettling eyes stayed glued on the Prince despite the attacks Ignis and Prompto were still sending out. Gladiolus, he was back too now and helping. Noctis had to blink a few times to make sure it was his scarred friend. He had not noticed when it was Gladiolus had returned. Even with his combined effort, The Trucido had not become hindered in any way.

As the ancient machine neared Noctis, it raised a limb slowly. From behind where its claws attached to the rest of its arm, a dark light began to appear. Almost more fluid in nature, the light oozed out over and past the claws, eventually forming into the shape of a bladed weapon. Fear returned to Noctis. Now he was certain: this machine was the same that had been in his nightmare. If this Trucido had killed the fal'Cie here, and possibly others, how were they meant to stand a chance against the great weapon?

“What did you say?” panted Noctis. To his surprise, no one was anywhere near him. Blinking in confusion, he raised a hand to his head. He could have sworn there had been a voice. There it was again. In the back of his mind, incomprehensible voices rose. Moment by moment, as the Trucido continued to near him, the voices grew louder. Gripping at his hair, Noctis tried his hardest to push the unwanted voices away, but their bodiless souls clung to him. The louder they got, the more he could feel his power being sapped. Noctis glared at the Trucido. This was its fault. Somehow, he knew, the ancient machine was causing this. It was devouring his strength—devouring his ability to use the Crystal's power.

Noctis' eyes widened before he barely managed to teleport to the opposite side of the Trucido. The ancient machine had lashed out with its new weapon, a blast of energy peeling off from the dark light and slicing through the air where Noctis had been standing a moment ago. Collapsing to his knees, Noctis clutched at his head, as though it would actually do something to stop the mass of voices. To his dismay, they only grew louder.

He looked up in time to see the Trucido turn around. It was not fooled for long. As it raised its weapon back to let out another attack, a burst of lightning exploded before the open cavity in the Trucido's torso. At least, that was what should have happened. Rather than sending the magical lightning coursing through the machine's body, when the first sparks formed, some sort of barrier appeared around the Trucido. Fully forming before the spell was able to finish, the sparks of lightning were cast back...directly to the person who had weaved the spell.

“IGNIS!” shouted out everyone as they saw their bespectacled friend get hit by his own spell. When the lightning vanished, Ignis collapsed to the ground. Though his recent spells against the Trucido had been doing less and less damage, that did not mean he had been casting any weaker. The full force of his spell had coursed through him.

“Ignis. Ignis! Can you hear me?” blurted out Prompto, shaking their friend by his shoulders. A muffled groan was the only response. It was not the greatest, but better than nothing.

“Prompto, you stay here and help Ignis,” decided Noctis, speaking a bit louder than normal due to the whispers in his head.

“But—”

“Just do it!” Noctis grunted lightly. It was getting harder to focus. “Gladiolus, I need you to distract that thing as best you can.”

“You got a plan?” asked their scarred friend, adjusting his grip on his weapon.

“Not really, no. I'm kinda making this up as I go...”

“Good enough for me!” Barking a rather forced laugh, Gladiolus headed off towards the Trucido. While still trying to come up with some better way to fight against the ancient machine, Noctis hurried off away from Ignis and Prompto. He would be doing his friends no good if he led the Trucido right for them while injured. With his powers nearly completely devoured at the moment too, he was forced to run as fast as he could to avoid any attacks from the machine. If this is how it was while damaged, Noctis did not want to imagine what it had been like at its height of strength.

Gladiolus began to attack the ancient machine, but like before, it did nothing to draw attention away from its current target. Still he fought. Noctis took that time to just watch and study the machine some more. Physical attacks did not work. Magical attacks were now reflected. And the Crystal's power was no longer an option. How were they to stop the Trucido with all of their options taken away? Even the people of Erebus could not defeat it, and they most likely even had more means of assault on the ancient machine. Despite that, the Trucido and all the forces of The Light were victorious.

“The Light...” breathed Noctis, but not in anger. A new option was now available. It was not something he wanted to do, but time was short, and the list of choices was even shorter. There was one thing the people of Erebus probably never tried: the power of The Light. It was the enemy to them. The Obruo, the Trucido, and all those that fought behind them...they had used The Light to wage war, to kill. They had used the souls of the dead to bring only more death. And now Noctis' only option was to use what he had sworn to himself that he would forever avoid.

Barely able to keep away from the Trucido's attacks, Noctis searched within himself for the power of The Light he knew to be there. The voices within his mind grew silent. These torn souls that the Trucido wielded like a weapon had not expected for their target to be capable of tapping into the power of The Light. It was foreign, an unknown force that almost scared Noctis as he tried to use it. Would he even be able to use it in such a way that he could stop the Trucido? There was no way for him to know. But he had to try. For the sake of not only their lives, but the Crystal's as well, he had to try.

Uncertain of how to proceed, Noctis tried to soothe the souls of those who were dead like he would the Crystal, asking for their help. Much to his surprise, they answered his call more readily than he had anticipated. It was almost as though they had longed for this chance to fight against the Trucido. Their power, the power of The Light, coursed through him, and the whispers stopped. He was not sure if he should be gladdened or not. To use what the Crystal had seen as an enemy to save it... The very idea did not feel right. But he could not stop. If the Trucido could use the power as a weapon, then so would he.

The power of The Light flowed out onto his sword, coating it in a glowing light akin to what he saw when a soul passed through the Gates of the Underworld into Etro's domain. It was almost...calming to see. The physical manifestation of The Light was not as dreadful as he had anticipated, nor was it nothing like the dark light that made up the Trucido's weapon.

A sharp gasp escaped Noctis. In the time it had taken him to ready The Light for him to use, the Trucido had sent out another attack towards the Prince. With the Crystal's power still drained from him, he would be unable to get out of the way in time. All he could do was stand his ground. Gritting his teeth in preparation for the worst, Noctis slashed his sword through the air before the dark light could reach him. Much like the Trucido's attack, a portion of the light from Noctis' blade shot off and tore through anything in its path. It sliced through the dark light, creating a gap large enough in the attack that Noctis was no longer in danger, and continued on to the Trucido.

Finally wounded from an attack, the ancient machine staggered back. While not enough to destroy it, at least now there was hope. But he would be unable to keep up attacking like he had just done. Using his sword for support, Noctis panted hard as he tried to come up with some way to end this fight quickly. In most cases, the head of the monster, or machine, had to be cut off in order for it to fall. And there was only one way he could see himself getting up to the head to destroy it.

Clearing his mind as much as he could, Noctis sifted through the incomprehensible whispers. Past their shadowy abyss, he tried to reach for the Crystal's power. It was distant and weak, but still there. The Trucido had not been able to devour all of it after all like he had feared. Grasping onto that small sliver of power, Noctis asked for its aid one more time. He knew he was asking a lot of it given its current state, but he had to try. Slowly, and almost reluctantly, the Crystal was able to lend him its power once again.

In a flash, Noctis was suspended in air for a moment before he fell onto the massive shoulders of the Trucido. The familiar specs of crystal faded away as the teleportation ability finished. Nearly losing his balance as the Trucido flailed around to remove the annoying pest from its shoulders, Noctis hurried towards the head. This was his only chance. His sword still coursing with the power of The Light, he brought it to the damaged area of the Trucido. Unlike before, his attack now sliced through the Trucido. Despite the resistance he met, Noctis did not stop. Closer and closer he got to completely severing the head, but his time was cut short as a limb once again sent him crashing to the ground.

For a moment, Noctis could only lie still on the ground, all of his energy having been drained from him. His entire body sore and feeling broken, he no longer had the strength to move. The horrible thought that he had failed began to sink in. Not even the power of The Light was enough to stop the ancient machine.

“Noctis!” yelled the muffled voice of Gladiolus. Noctis' limp body was brought up and supported by his friend. “How did you  _do_ that? !”

Blinking several times, Noctis tried to focus on his friend. With everything rattling around in his head, and those whispers still present, it took longer than normal to register what it was Gladiolus had asked. “Do what?”

“ _That_ !” Following to where his friend pointed, Noctis gasped slightly as he saw the head of the Trucido hanging by a few wires before falling to the ground with a loud  _thud_ .

They they had done it. A laugh came from Noctis. It was not out of anything humorous, not at all, but it was the only way he could give some relief to the stress he felt. Even Gladiolus joined in the near-insane laughter. However, that laughter was short-lived.

“Wait...” breathed Noctis, trying to decide whether what he saw was due to his fatigue or if it was reality. “Why isn't it stopping?”

“I'll be damned! How tough did they  _build_ that thing?!”

To their dismay, the Trucido, while now headless, was not defeated. Though even more damaged than before, it was still able to function. Its weapon of dark light began to flicker sporadically. It also appeared to no longer be able to detect them properly, for it was flailing its limbs around rather randomly.

“Just a little bit more... But how?” whispered Gladiolus.

Noctis let his head fall hopelessly. He had given it his all, they all had, but even that was not enough. Part of him wanted to give up. Hope had been drained from him. But the voices...they would not let him rest. Still he could feel the power of The Light within him; it was the answer, that he knew, only he had to come up with a way for it to destroy the Trucido completely all at once.

“Prompto!” yelled Noctis as loud as he could, his voice dry and hoarse. Glancing frantically around, he managed to spot and focus on Prompto. “Shoot it!”

Their blond friend looked up from tending Ignis, who already appeared to be doing better. Eyes wide, Prompto glanced between the Trucido and Noctis. “But our normal attacks don't do anyth—”

“Just  _shoot_ !”

As Prompto fumbled over his shotgun, Noctis poured every last ounce of strength he had into one final gamble. The Light still answered his unfamiliar call. Though difficult, it was not impossible to make it do what he needed.

“Do you want me to fi—

“SHOOT!”

Without another second wasted, Prompto fired his shotgun at the staggering Trucido. Even now, his aim did not fail. The bullet whizzed through the air and buried itself into the exposed components of the torso. Only, unlike before, that was not the end of the attack. Bracing himself, Noctis kept his eyes peeled on the Trucido until an internal explosion tore it apart. The Light that Noctis had managed to infuse Prompto's into weapon destroyed the Trucido utterly and completely. A quick rain of machine parts came down and littered the dead ground, adding one more area of ruin to the moon.

“Whoa! Tell me you saw that!” Hysteric laughter then came from Prompto as he marvelled at his shotgun before staring back at the remains of the Trucido.

“Kinda hard to miss a giant machine blowin' up!” shouted back Gladiolus. “Hey now! Noct! You okay?”

No longer able to stand on his feet any more, Noctis had fallen to the cold ground. The voices. They had finally stopped. The souls that had been clinging to him drifted away. So much death... And though it had been to save them, in a way, he had used The Light to bring even more death, just like in the war waged against the forgotten fal'Cie. Resting his head against his hand, Noctis tried to regain some sense of himself.

“Lookit that! Quick!” shouted Prompto, ruining Nocti's attempt to get a moment's rest. Looking up, there was a ball of blurry light. It was not warm and golden like The Light, but a pale blue. After blinking and rubbing his eyes to help focus his vision, a soft gasp escaped him. A small mass of Crystal Shards hung in the air above where the Trucido had been. Even after all these years, it had still been able to capture remnants of the Crystal to fulfil its duty. Once having hung there for a moment, the shards then shot off through the air in the direction of...

“Niveus...!”

Scrambling to his feet, and nearly falling back down in the process, Noctis hurried off to where Niveus had been taken. She should be safe, she  _had_ to be safe, but still he moved as fast as his feet would carry him.

“Noct! Wait!” shouted Gladiolus. The Prince did not stop. While nearly tripping several times, Noctis continued back across the dead land, though most of his body protested. He did not even wait to see if his friends were following or not.

“Niveus...” he breathed out in relief when he saw the pale figure sitting on the ground. Her legs pulled in close to her chest, and he head resting on her knees, she looked more like a frightened child that just wanted the nightmare to finally end. Even remaining a fair distance from the Trucido, Noctis could only imagine how much terror she had to have felt throughout their fight. “Niveus. Are you all right? Do your scars still hurt?” he asked when he reached her side, almost falling back down when he stopped. She was silent for longer than he would have liked. “Niveus?” he tried again, shaking her shoulder lightly.

“I can see everything that happened here...” she rasped, her voice unsteady and full of terror. She slowly ventured a glance up, as though afraid of what would fill her vision. Pale eyes became glued not on the city, but rather something else that played unseen in the distant streets. “The enemy has come...” She gripped her arms tightly. She wanted to look away, she wanted to stop seeing the images that were for her eyes only, but she was forced to watch it all. “Armies mass... Weapons clash... Cries fade into the night, never to be heard again... Rays of light leave nothing but death in their wake...! The bell of the Underworld tolls, beckoning us to our end! They've come to destroy us! They've come to destroy  _ me _ !”

“Niveus!” Quickly, he grabbed her by her arms and pulled her up, growing dizzier than he would have liked from even that amount of exertion. Her desperate gaze was still glued on the ruined city of Erebus. “Look at me!” Scared, her pale eyes managed to shift to him. “It's okay. None of that happened to you. These aren't  _ your _ memories...” Trailing off, he started to become confused. No longer was she looking at him, she was looking  _ through _ him. Her terrified gaze bore into his being and whatever it was she saw, she did not like.

“ _ No _ !” Wrenching herself from his grip, Niveus backed up as though her very life depended on it. He had seen that terrified look on her before, but never when  _ he _ had been the cause of it. “You're just like them now! Twisted. Corrupted. Perverse. Why do you use The Light like this? Why do you want to use The Light to hurt me?”

Hearing the footsteps of his friends nearing, Noctis advanced towards Niveus. She tried to back away, but he was too quick for her. Grabbing her arms, he forced her to stay where she was. Nearly whimpering her protests, she tried to struggle out of his grip, but he was ready for that this time. Despite it taking nearly all the strength he had at that moment, he did not let her go. He would do whatever it took to stop her feeling so terrified. “Listen. Niveus. Listen to me!” She suddenly stopped protesting and remained still. Though that much was accomplished, she still did not look at him. “I would never do that to you. You understand? I would  _ never _ harm you.”

Slowly, as though coming to trust him for the first time, Niveus looked back to Noctis. No longer was her gaze so full of terror. No longer did she want to run at the sight of him. She wanted to believe him, he could see it in her eyes, but there was something holding her back. “These feelings...” she whispered, slowly lowering her arms back down. With her no longer seeking to flee from him, Noctis let her go. “These emotions... These...fragmented images that flash before me when I close my eyes... They feel like they're  _ my _ memories. But how can that be?”

As she backed up a step, her eyes darted to the others for a moment before settling back on Noctis. “You thought that with the more shards we collected, the more my memories would return. But that hasn't happened! There's only been  _ your _ Crystal.” A brief glimpse of anger and frustration flashed across her face that was soon replaced by pain and confusion. “Why is that? Am I...being  _ consumed _ by the Crystal?” Her hand slowly reached up to the shard that hung from a neck. For a moment, she almost seemed ready to tear it off her and throw it away. “Will there even be any of me left to restore when this is done...?” Niveus begged for an answer with her eyes. Being lost and confused throughout this journey was finally taking its toll on her.

“Our Crystal wouldn't do that to someone,” answered Noctis, reassuring Niveus as much as he tried to reassure himself. “It wouldn't take a life like that just to save itself.” He wanted to believe his own words, but that was proving more difficult than he had anticipated. Even if the Crystal did not harm her in any way at the end, there was still the knowledge of what his people would do to her that loomed over him.

“I still want to help you. Truly, I do. But...” Gripping her arms, she seemed to be seeking for any sort of comfort. “But I'm scared. Every step now  _ terrifies _ me. Remember...remember what that fortune teller told me?” Her gaze became distant. “'There was no future for you'. ...Is this what she meant by that? Do I have no future because, when this is done, I'll...cease to be?”

“Niveus...” Noctis wanted to tell her that she had a future beyond this. He wanted to tell her that she would be fine when the Crystal was restored. He wanted to tell her that she would be all right. But he could not, for it felt too much like a blatant lie. Instead, he held out his hand towards her. “Can you try to give me the necklace? One more time?” Confused by his request, she tilted her head at him. Even his friends behind him murmured their surprise by that question. “If you can escape from...whatever fate may await you at the end of this, you at least deserve that chance.”

Her uncertain gaze lingered on him before she glanced down, debating whether or not she should try to give him the necklace. Though he did not pressure her, Noctis wanted her to try. She did not deserve this. She never deserved any of this. Even if he were never to see her again after she gave him the shard, that would be all right, for it would mean she had escaped the cruel fate that had been unwillingly thrust upon her.

Almost reluctantly, she slipped off the necklace and stretched it out towards Noctis' hand. The second his fingers got close enough, it repelled him. Hissing in pain, he quickly withdrew his hand.

“I'm sorry...” he muttered.

“Perhaps there is another reason why you are sharing these foreign memories, Niveus,” interjected Ignis. They all turned to their bespectacled friend. Having been struck by his own lightning spell, he was at least looking well off...albeit his hair would most likely have to be restyled. “Noctis. You're always saying how the Crystal is alive. With it shattered, the Crystal is therefore injured. These memories, and even having her energy drained while we were in the city, perhaps they're all manifestations of the Crystal using her to help stay alive while we restore it.” Noctis blinked at his friend's theory. He had never thought of their Crystal doing something like that. “I'm not saying it's the best theory—it makes the Crystal seem almost parasitic—but I would not put it outside the realm of possibilities. I know it might be difficult, Niveus, but try not to worry. When the Crystal's restored, then we'll see what has to be done.”

“Speaking of which,” chimed in Prompto. “How many more could we possibly have to go? That Trucido seemed to have quite a few tucked up his sleeve.”

Narrowing his eyes, Noctis tried to reach out his senses. The fog still remained, but he was now able to sift through the confusion. “Almost. We almost have all the shards, but...”

“But...?”

Noctis did not want to respond. Swallowing, he muttered, “But there are no more here...”

“What?” Prompto gave the Prince a flat stare. “So if there are no more on the moon...  _ And _ there were no more back on our world that you could tell before we came to this blasted place, then  _ where the heck are the rest _ ?” Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Noctis did not respond. How could he? He had no answer. Eventually he succumbed to giving a helpless shrug. “Great. Just great. So where are we supposed to go from here?”

“Maybe we should just head home?” offered Gladiolus. They all looked to him as he scratched his scraggly chin in thought. “If you really don't know where to go from here, then headin' home is just a good an option as any. Maybe they even have some info that would be useful to us now, or, at the very least, what we have collected will be able to help everyone long enough while we try and find the rest.”

“That's good and all, but that now brings up another matter: how in blazes are we even gonna  _ get _ back?” Prompto threw up his arms in frustration. “Maybe it would have been easier to get back home had we gone to the  _ actual _ Underworld instead of this forsaken place!”

“We take the gateway back.” Niveus' tone of voice had returned to its normal state. No longer was she terrified and hopeless. Or, if she was, she had managed to hide it behind her emotionless mask. “It'll return us home...”

“Wait. That gateway we took here planted us spot in the middle of no where. There  _ was _ no other gate to take us back!”

“It's in the remaining part of Erebus.”

“How can you know that? We didn't go searching around for it yet.”

Niveus cast her gaze down and placed a hand over her eyes, as though trying to erase the unwanted images. “I can see how Erebus used to be. From the tallest structure to the smallest detail. Everything. There was a gateway here, located in the part of Erebus that still stands. Whether it's still there now or not...I do not know...”

His brow furrowing, Noctis switched his gaze between Niveus and the remains of the city. It was the one thing that still puzzled him: why did she now have memories of this place? He felt as though that question would never get an answer. The truth of it was now buried within the forgotten ruins of the past.

“Well, we got nothing else to lose. Lead the way, Niv.” Gladiolus gestured to the ruined city. Somewhat nervous, Niveus glanced back to their scarred friend before nodding. Clasping her hands together, she started off back towards Erebus, a bit slower than Noctis would have expected. But, after he took his first step, Noctis could no longer complain. With the adrenaline that had been flowing through his veins during the fight and while he had been concerned for Niveus now gone, it was much harder for him to move than he would have liked. Gladiolus became his support again as they trudged on to Erebus.

The streets were even quieter than he remembered being. It was like Velens all over again—the souls that had once lingered on to the remains of their life had been able to find rest at last. Niveus navigated them through the dried husk of a city. No longer were they mindlessly wandering, but focused on a specific goal. All too soon, they stood before one building in particular. Unlike others, it almost looked to be perfectly intact. The only wear to the building was from all the long years that had gone by; it had not been touched by the battle that had occurred.

With a long sigh, Niveus headed down the stairs leading into the building. If what she now knew of Erebus was correct, then that meant the gateway, their possible way home, lay inside. Noctis hurried down the steps, his friends mere feet behind. It was hard to keep his hopes down; there was still no way of knowing whether or not the gateway existed any more.

Inside, the building opened up much more than he had expected. In a way, it reminded him of various stations back home. When he thought about it more, it did not seem odd. The gateway was a device used for travelling. Being located in a station-like structure was not at all strange.

“It's still here!” cried out Prompto in joy. Ecstatic, he ran up to the ledge, nearly tumbling over it in the process. “I can't believe it! We can go  _ home _ !” Leaning over, the blond peered down. After drumming his fingers on the railing, he pulled back. “Nah...”

“Aw, c'mon. Go ahead. You can jump down. Then make sure to let us know if you survived or not.” Gladiolus gave a cheeky grin at the thought.

“Hah. Hah. NO.”

“Guys. There are a set of stairs over here,” called out Ignis, raising his hand high to make sure he grabbed their attention. Like the rest of the building, the stairs were in rather good condition. There was no fear of the steps crumbling and falling out from beneath their feet.

“Wait! Don't get too close,” blurted Noctis, grabbing a hold of Niveus' arm before they got much closer to the dormant gateway. As much as he desired to return home, there was a doubt scratching at the back of his mind that he could not shake.

“Dammit. What could  _ possibly _ be wrong now? We're so close to going home!” retorted Prompto, continuing towards the gateway.

“If it's like the other one in Velens, then it'll most likely use the power of the Crystal,” explained Noctis. In return, Prompto only raised his eyebrows in question. With a sigh, the Prince continued, “But what if the same thing that happened at the archives happens here? What if she passes out? Or worse...?”

“For a chance at returning, I'm willing to take that risk,” said Niveus, her voice sounding rather stern. Her mind was made up.

“Well, you heard the lady, Noct! That settles that then!”

Turning back to him, Niveus tried to give the Prince a reassuring smile. “It's okay.” After slipping from his grip, she headed for the gateway. With a wary sigh, Noctis followed. If something bad began to happen, he would not hesitate to get her as far away from the gateway as possible.

However...his worry had been for nought.

“Shouldn't it be activating by now...?” They stared at the gateway. Despite being right before it, the shards they had gathered did not activate the gateway like it had in Velens. The many runes remained dark and dormant. Rings stayed still, making the entire device look like some large sculpture rather than a powerful device. “Hey... Is this thing on?” Coming up to Niveus, Prompto flicked her necklace. “Why isn't it working?”

“Do you think that thing's connected to the gateway?” asked Gladiolus. He pointed to a lone console. Other than the gateway, it was the only thing that was on the current floor.

“Hey, Ignis, go check it out!”

Their bespectacled friend merely gave Prompto a dry stare. “And why should it be me? We were lucky that the device in the archive room activated automatically, but I would have no idea where to start with this technology on my own.”

“Oh, c'mon.” Rolling his eyes, Prompto groaned in annoyance. “Never make me say this again: you're the smartest one here! Besides... I'm not touching anything else in this city.” Raising his hands, Prompto took several steps back from the console, despite already not being near it.

Trying to hide a rather smug expression, Ignis headed for the console. He studied it in silence for a while. “Niveus. Could you come over here?” Not wasting a moment, the pale woman joined Ignis by the console. As she neared, her necklace began to glow with power. A hum filled the air as the console came to life, causing an awe-filled grin to spread across Ignis' face. “Amazing...” he breathed out, beginning to analyze the ancient device. A virtual panel flickered into existence above the console, streams of information pouring down it.

“Figure it out yet?”

“Give me a minute!” he snapped back. “Now, this is interesting...”

“What is it?” asked Noctis. He still kept a wary eye on Niveus, concerned her strength suddenly being sapped from her.

“It seems there used to be dozens of gateways.” Flicking through the virtual panel, Ignis browsed through the options given.

“Wait, are they even still usable?” pondered Prompto, his face scrunching up in confusion.

“Well, I'm still able to access them from here. I can only assume that means something... Which would you like me to try? There's one that would get us close to Lucis.”

“What about Cid and Valan? They should still be waiting for us in Yeon,” pointed out Gladiolus.

“Oh yeah, them... Ah, they'll be fine on their own.” Waving a hand, Prompto tried to dismiss the matter.

“We shouldn't just leave them...” sighed Noctis, though the idea of doing so was rather tempting.

“Are you kidding? It'd be easy! Not to mention payback for Valan stealing your stuff.”

“True, but...” Shaking his head, Noctis pushed aside the thought of just heading back home in a flash. They had an agreement with the sky captain. “Ignis, is there one that would get us close to Yeon?”

“Just a second...” Sifting through the information, Ignis' sharp gaze remained focused intently on the panel. “Yes.” With a few more selections made, a reluctant groan began to fill the air. Runes beginning to glow, the ancient gateway began to come to life. Slow to start, the rings gradually reached their intended speed. A familiar light formed at the center, tendrils drifting out.

“Well, at least this time we know where the portal's headed!” Slinging his shotgun over his shoulder, Prompto headed off for the gateway. “Come along, Niv!” Taking the pale woman by her arm, he dragged her along with him. As if without fear, he waltzed into the gateway, dragging Niveus through it behind him, causing them both to be absorbed by the tendrils of light.

“Oh great,” sighed Gladiolus. “Did he even  _ think _ about how long the gateway would be active after taking her and the Crystal Shards through?” Running a hand down his face, the scarred man hurried for the gateway.

“We should hurry.” Tossing his head, Noctis started for the gateway, worried it would power down any second and leaving them trapped.

“Noctis.” One word in that tone from Ignis was enough to bring the Prince to a dead halt. “You already knew of those scars that Niveus has, didn't you?” Casting his eyes away, Noctis slowly nodded. “Why would would the Trucido cause them to hurt?”

Pursing his lips together, Noctis stared at the gateway. He had almost forgotten about that occurrence. With remembering, he only wanted to forget. It made him think that she really was being consumed by their Crystal, and there was no way hew knew how to save her. “You say that like you already have an answer...”

“Only theories,” responded Ignis after a moment. “As you said, we should hurry.” Pushing his glasses back up, he headed towards the gateway and slipped on through, leaving Noctis on his own.

Staring back over his shoulder, Noctis took one last look at the ruins of Erebus. Whatever other secrets it held would remain hidden. The hum in the air began to slow, drawing Noctis from his thoughts. Gasping, he looked back to the gateway. The rings began to slow down, and the light from the center started to flicker as it grew dimmer. Cursing under his breath, he hurried to the gateway before it completely shut down. Jumping through, the powers of the ancient device whisked him away.

Erebus returned to how it had been for thousands of years: lifeless and alone. The forgotten echoes of the past were heard no more.

 


	21. Deceit

Warmth. Life. It washed over everything like a wave gently lapping at the shore. Peaceful and relaxing, absolute bliss could finally be reached. Lying on the comforting ground, Noctis breathed in deeply. He savoured the smell of the slightly damp earth, the scent of it flowing through and revitalizing him. It was a small thing, something he had never really thought about before, but after the cold lifelessness of Erebus, the simple pleasure one could find in a pleasant day seemed all the more important.

A comforting breeze blew over him, ticking the back of his neck for a moment. He just wanted to stay here for a little longer. The ground on his front, and the sun on his back. Everything was...right for once. At least for a small moment in time.

“What the...?” mumbled Prompto, his voice pulling Noctis from his moment of rest. “Where are we now? Wait...don't tell me we're actually in the Underworld!”

A sudden laugh came from Gladiolus. At least now that meant two of his friends were there as well. “You serious? Man, part of your brain must have gotten lost in that gateway.”

“Har, har. Not my fault that thing left me feeling disoriented...”

“We're back on Zenn'thus,” stated Ignis. “The plant life is the same as we saw when when we left Yeon.”

Gradually, Noctis finally opened his eyes. The bliss faded away as he was forced to return to reality. Green-tinted light filled his vision as the warm rays of the sun cast through the many blades of grass before his face. They swayed in the soft breeze, and Noctis allowed himself one more small moment of peace before pushing himself up. Sighing, he remained seated on the ground as he soaked in their current surroundings. Unless the Underworld truly was so vibrant and full of life, they were safely back on their world.

“So...” Prompto stretched his arms high above his head, seeming to enjoy the feel of life as much as the rest of them. A place as void of life as Erebus had been was not for them. “Which way?”

“Well, if we were truly sent to where I had selected, then Yeon should be north-west of here.” Raising a hand, Ignis blocked the glare from the sun as he surveyed their surroundings.

“Aaaaaaannnndd north-west would be...?”

Ignis' brow gradually furrowed in confusion, causing Noctis to grow concerned. It had been a long time since he saw his friend looking so...lost. Though having been in this land once before, there was nothing very familiar about their location. They had been planted right in the middle of nowhere. “I really don't know...” answered their bespectacled friend after a moment's silence. “We're not near enough to the ocean, and we can't even see the mountains from here. And, thanks to our time on the moon, I'm uncertain about the hour of day here.”

“Should we just start walking?”

“I don't think that's wise.” Ignis shook his head, then cupped his chin in thought. Even now, it was obvious that the gears inside his head were churning fervently in attempts to come up with a course of action. They were all looking to him for what to do next. From behind his glasses, Ignis' eyes darted around, eventually slowing down and coming to a rest. “We wait here.”

“Uh...isn't waiting her a bit of a waste of time?”

The look Ignis gave Prompto swiftly caused the blond to become silent. “If we start walking in a random direction that ends up taking us further away from Yeon, that would also be a waste of time. At least this way we won't have to re-track our steps. We wait a little bit until we know whether the sun's rising or setting, and then head west. Well, Noctis?”

Blinking in surprise, it took the Prince a moment to remember that his friends still looked to him for the final say most of the time. With a sigh, he glanced briefly up to the sky. They truly were at a momentary loss with not knowing where Yeon lay. As much as he wanted to hurry home, he trusted in his friend's observation: they could waste even more time by blindly rushing off. Pursing his lips together, Noctis made his decision. A smile nearly managing to tug at the corner of his lips, he allowed himself to fall back down against the lush grass.

“We wait.”

There were no complaints to meet his ears as he closed his eyes, the warm rays of sunlight still tickling his skin. He heard the rustling of grass as his friends also decided to sit back down now that they were no longer rushing anywhere. While he tried to relax—which he did not realize how much his body needed the rest until now—Noctis' thoughts kept returning to what Niveus had said while on the moon:

_ “Am I...being  _ consumed  _ by the Crystal? Will there even be any of me left to restore when this is done...?” _

Parting his eyelids just enough so he could see, the Prince glanced over to the pale woman. Seated, she stared off towards the endless sky above them. She did not appear as terrified as she had been while on the moon, but the expression she wore on her face was now much more sorrowful. Gone were the days when she wore a blank mask, void of any emotion or feelings, morphing only slightly when something befuddled her. Now lines of sorrow pulled at her eyes, giving her a permanent sombre expression. Noctis knew no matter what reassurance he tried to give her, she would still be torn over what might happen to her when the Crystal was restored, despite the weak smile she would try to give him. It was sad, and probably selfish, but he almost wished right now that her expression would return to the blank slate. In a small way, it was slightly more bearable.

In attempts to avoid the matter for a little while longer, Noctis closed his eyes once again. The longer he avoided thinking about it, the longer he could fool himself into believing that Niveus would be all right. For now, he needed what rest he could claim. But his thoughts would not leave him alone. An echoing voice. His brow furrowed. It was not his persistent thoughts like he had believed. Far. Near. It crawled up within the back of his mind, slowly spreading out until it resounded in every corner. Calling out to him, the echoing voice would no longer let him rest.

Sitting back up, he stared in the direction the voice reached out to him from, his mind having become a clouded mess of confusion. It was somehow different, causing him to nearly be unable to recognize it. But it just had to be what he thought it was. It had to be. Comforting, and yet also ominous at the same time, it reached out to him, beckoning him onward. Was this a blessing for them? A shred of good fortune after all this time? Or was it a devious trap—a siren's song laid out to end their journey before they were done?

“Noct? What is it?” asked Gladiolus after the Prince rose. The scarred friend glanced between Noctis and the rough position the sun was in. “It's only been a couple minutes. Can you already tell what direction we need to go?”

Having not paid any attention to the sun, Noctis still had no idea which direction was north or south. That did not matter to him now. All that mattered was the echoing voice that confused him.

“There's a Crystal Shard nearby.”

“Wait,  _ what _ ?” Prompto stood up so fast that he became dizzy for a moment. After righting himself, he swiftly marched in front of Noctis and placed his hands on the Prince's shoulders. “You mean to tell us that  _ all this time _ before we tried searching for the  _ Underworld _ and then wound up on the bloody  _ moon _ , there was still a  _ Crystal Shard here _ ?!”

Feeling his personal space being invaded a bit too much for his liking, Noctis swatted away the hands. It took a couple attempts, but Prompto finally got the message. “I swear, there was nothing out here for me to sense when we left!” Stepping back, he gripped his hair in annoyance. Any other time he would have been nearly jumping for joy for being able to sense another shard. Now, however, it was only making him more confused and frustrated. “I don't even know if it  _ is _ another shard. It's like it but...but it's not like the others...” Once he ran a hand over his face, Noctis stared back in the direction of the resounding feeling. He was unable to determine just how near or far they were from the new source. “Niveus, can you sense anything?”

Still seated on the ground, the pale woman stared up to the Prince. Noctis glanced to her for a moment, in wait for an answer, but pulled away sooner than he had expected. That sombre gaze was not what he wanted to see right now. “I can sense nothing,” she responded with a light shake of her head. “Ever since the Trucido was destroyed, that whisper has faded away.”

Noctis cursed under his breath slightly. He had hoped they would have more to go by this time than just what he sensed. “What should we do...?”

“Oh, quit being so indecisive,” grumbled Gladiolus as he dusted off his hands. “You sense something, and we go. It's just like before.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Noctis glanced to his friend before staring off in the direction of the potential shard once more. It sounded simple enough. And why should it not be simple? There was something there that Noctis sensed. As Gladiolus said, it was just like before, just like it always had been through the the journey. And yet, there was still the lingering doubt in the back of his mind. “But what if it's a trap?”

“Then we just go in expecting one. Besides, if it happens to be a trap, who do you think set it for us?” Gladiolus crossed his arms in wait for a response. He only got blank stares and silence for an answer. Noctis felt he should know who Gladiolus was referring to, but his mind could not process the information properly with the resounding echo inside his mind. With a rather loud huff, their scarred friend threw up his arms in defeat. “Creon! Or one of his cronies. I can't think of anyone else that'd be capable of setting a trap for us with the shards.  _ If _ it is a trap. It's still probably just some shard we need to collect.”

“That sounds good enough for me!” Jumping to his feet, Prompto pointed in a random direction and started off on his own.

“Uhh, Prompto?” called out Noctis before his friend got too far away. The blond turned around, that stupid grin of his plastered on his face. Unable to hold back a laugh, Noctis allowed himself to smile. In a small way, it was like a bit of home, to see his friend act in such a familiar manner. Though they were now heading back to Lucis, he was starting to miss home more than he realized. And there was still the fear that gnawed at the back of his mind that they were already too late to save everyone. “It's this way!”

“Right! Best you lead the way.” Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, Prompto returned to the group, his expression remaining rather ignorantly happy for the time being.

Allowing his chuckle to end, Noctis took the lead of their group. Whether they were now heading away from Yeon or not, it did no matter. There was a clear destination for them now. Despite the ever-present need to hurry along, Noctis could not bring himself to go much faster than a brisk walk. For one, he was still tried. The warm fresh air helped to soothe and refresh him, but his body still had yet to fully recover from the fight with the Trucido. Nor was he recovered from having used The Light.

The Light...

The thought of having been forced to use it still sickened Noctis. Even though it had been to save them, he now felt tainted. As if breaking his promise to himself was not bad enough, Niveus' terrified words still rang fresh and clear in his memory:

_ “You're just like them now! Twisted. Corrupted. Perverse. Why do you use The Light like this? Why do you want to use The Light to hurt me?” _

She had been enthralled by fear when she said those words. Fear that  _ he _ had been the cause of creating. Even though he had only used The Light once, Niveus had had such a strong reaction to it due to how closely she was now tied with the Crystal. Was she truly going to be consumed when this was all over? There were many things they still did not know about their Crystal, even after learning what secrets Erebus had to offer. That lack of knowledge now made Noctis uncertain. And it was that uncertainty that now caused the Prince to no longer hurry towards their goal.

All the rays of light cast upon them began to shift to warmer hues. The once-blue sky began to mix into pleasant shades of pinks and purples, causing the clouds that had turned into fluffs of gold to glow even more. Dusk was settling in. And, now at last, they could tell which direction they were headed. Cheers momentarily rose up from them, mainly Prompto, when it became clear that they were following the setting sun as it sank towards the horizon. The closer they got to whatever it was Noctis sensed, the closer to Yeon they were as well.

Their trek west was largely a silent one. All of them were beginning to feel the weight of their journey. Even the odd aggressive fiend that crossed their path was killed without excessive chatter. The further west they travelled, the more the echoing voice in Noctis' head clawed at the walls. As uncomfortable as it was becoming, he found a shred of comfort in the fact that it meant they were nearing in on their destination.

The once-warm breeze now carried a slight chill to it. An unfamiliar, yet immediately recognizable, scent drifted up to them. There was no mistaking the salty smell particular of the ocean. Finally gaining some motivation, Noctis picked up his pace slightly.

Eventually, as the sun began to nearly touch the horizon, Noctis and his friends stared out across the Chaahng ocean once more. Set ablaze by the sun, the waves rolled across the surface as though they were liquid fire. Noctis tried to enjoy the impressive sight, but the resounding voice of the questionable shard echoed in his head so much now that it nearly gave him physical pain. He gritted his teeth and tried to push it away from the barriers of his mind.

“Oh please don't tell me it's actually  _ in _ the ocean this time,” groaned Prompto, tugging at his hair in annoyance. Noctis arched an eyebrow at his friend that neared his side by the edge of the small cliff that overlooked the fiery ocean, but could not argue against what he said. It certainly would create a hindrance in their progress were the shard beneath the waves. Even with limited use of his powers back, the Prince could not see any way to retrieve a sunken shard. But, as he peered over the edge of the cliff, Noctis could tell that the shard he sensed was not in such an unreachable place.

Along the small golden beach that was now visible during low tide, Noctis spotted a cave that had been formed within the cliff face. The echoing voice inside his head was beckoning him towards that point of darkness in an otherwise bright location.

“There,” he winced, pointing to the forlorn cave. Now that he no longer needed to search for the source of the unwanted presence, the Prince tried his hardest to now block the the echoing voice. The task was difficult, and though the pounding headache against his skull still remained, the beckoning voice receded into the back of his mind, quieting down enough for him to be able to think somewhat clearly once again.

“How are we gonna get down there?” questioned Gladiolus. Their scarred friend gazed along both sides of the cliff. At first glance, there was no path nearby that would take them down to the beach, and thus the cave. The cliff, while not high, consisted of only sheer rock faces. One faulty step on a climb down could result in a rather serious injury. Noctis chewed on his lower lip, wondering what would be the safest and fastest way for them to travel down. There was one course of action that came to mind after seeing no easy route down. A lingering doubt scratched at the back of his mind—he was uncertain whether or not the unwanted presence would affect his control over his powers or not.

“Like this.”

“Whoa, what? Hey. Hey! Noct! Wait just a se—!” Prompto's cries of protest were cut short. Noctis grabbed onto his friend's arm tight, closed his eyes, and called upon the Crystal's power. It answered his request readily. Shards of light and tendrils of energy flowed around the two of them. The ancient power coursed through Noctis, and flowed through Prompto as well due to their contact.

While Prompto still cursed in protest to the unfamiliar experience as long as he had air in his lungs, Noctis welcomed the sensation that crawled up his spine. For a moment, it enabled him to forget about the whispers in his mind as the Crystal's power, now even stronger thanks to the shards they collected on the moon, coursed through him. Sturdy ground slipped out from beneath their feet. The sensation of his teleport ability was very different than what the process the gateway to and from Erebus was like. To him at least, using the Crystal's powers to move like this was comforting. It was familiar. It was what he had grown accustomed to. Anything else was just...wrong.

Noctis stumbled for a moment, for landing on ground as flimsy as sand was not something he was used to. As soon as he was able to walk on his own, Prompto wrenched his grip from Noctis and took several large steps back.

“I still don't like that,” he grumbled, shaking his limbs as to get the lingering sensation out of him. “How 'bout a little warning next time?!”

Noctis merely smirked at his friend before using his powers to return to the top of the cliff face. The process was repeated until everyone was safely down on the beach. Unlike Prompto, the others did not complain so much since they had warning. Taking a moment to clear his head as much as he could, Noctis stared at the ominous cave. With not knowing what exactly what lay in wait for them inside, he made certain not to place them so close to the opening. Still wary of the voice beckoning him onward, he started for the cave, preemptively drawing forth his sword.

“Niveus, are you all right?” questioned Ignis, catching Noctis by surprise as his feet sank into the golden sands. At first he looked to his bespectacled friend, who was in turn staring back down the beach. There Niveus stood, her sombre gaze focused on the sun that now began to slip beyond the horizon. It seemed to have her enthralled. The warm yet sad beauty of the daily event reflected across her face. Whatever thoughts were going through her head kept her so engrossed that she paid Ignis' question no heed.

“Hey, Niv?” At Gladiolus' strong voice, the pale woman was pulled away from her thoughts. Cold eyes glanced to the scarred man before shifting between the others. She dipped her head and mumbled an apology before catching up to where they had stopped. “What's eating you?”

Niveus stopped in her tracks, her sombre look being replaced by one of confusion. “Eating...me?” she repeated, unused to the phrase.

A soft chuckle came from Gladiolus, who shook his head slightly. “Something bothering you?” he reworded into something she would be able to comprehend.

Her expression of confusion melting away, Niveus glanced back towards the setting sun. “I was just...wondering.” She paused to swallow. Noctis nearly took that moment to ask her to elaborate, and was surprised when she continued on her own: “Hitomi... The people of Velens and Erebus... And even all of the fal'Cie... When did they see their last sunset?”

“C'mon, Niv. If this is about you and the Crystal, don't worry!” Putting on his brightest smile, Prompto hurried to Niveus' side and took a hold of her arm. “You'll see plenty more sunsets, just you wait.” The blond made sure that Niveus rejoined the rest of them as they returned to heading towards the cave.

Golden sands crunched under their feet. Noise from the lapping waves mixed in to create a pleasant atmosphere. But even that simple moment of walking across the beach was short-lived. Noctis and the others climbed down onto the rocks that led into the darkening cave. With the setting sun, less and less light was capable of illuminating the precarious walls that wound further and further into the rock.

As the rays of light cast from the sun began to disappear the further they headed into the cave, Ignis brought forth a sphere of fire to help illuminate their way. Water dripped down from the ceiling and walls, landing in the still pools of water that were currently littered across the ground. The further they went into the cave, the larger and deeper the pools of water became. The flickering light that was cast from the fire glistened off of the surface of the waters, reflecting up onto all the sides of the cave and bringing life to the place that it not had seen in ages. Noctis was amazed at how much colour there was this deep inside the ground.

Clamping a hand to his head, Noctis came to a halt as he gritted his teeth. The unwanted voice he had tried to block from his mind suddenly gave one loud final burst before vanishing as though it had never been. The beauty of the place was lost on him as he became fixated on one thing: the Crystal Shard.

Submerged below the tranquil surface shimmered the image of the desired shard. It hung still in the water, neither sinking down or even floating up. Remaining trapped in the water, it stayed completely still. Noctis stared at it, trying to deduce from where he stood why it felt different. But he could see nothing out of the ordinary from it. At the moment, it seemed like any other shard that was waiting to be retrieved. In fact, this one looked like it would be easier to claim.

Without calling attention to his friends prior, Noctis placed his sword down, removed his jacket and gloves, and dove into the deep pool of water. The salty water stung his eyes, but he pressed onwards. It crossed his mind that he would be unable to retrieve the shard, if his past experience with them had taught him anything. Even with that most likely being the case, he could not bring himself to let Niveus try to claim the shard first. That lingering doubt in his mind that something would go awry was still his first concern. If something unwanted were to happen, it would be best if it befell him, and not his friends.

The shard drew closer and closer the more he swam. Noctis pushed himself harder to reach the shard sooner, but the harder he swam, the slower he moved. It was defying all logic that he knew. The water that coursed around him felt like it was physically becoming thicker. What was once a thin and flowing element was becoming more and more viscous. It compressed on him, squeezing his body and slowing his progress to a near halt. Breathing became hard. The water constricted around him, feeling like he was now swimming through thick mud rather than the fluid water it appeared to be. Gritting his teeth against the pain his lungs were now being stabbed with, Noctis reached for the shard. It was almost within his reach. Almost... His fingers were about wrapped around the fragment of their ancient guardian.

Bubbles of air escaped from his mouth as he was flung violently back through and out of the water. His yell was cut short when he was once again able to breathe. The world around him turned right-side up with a painful smack of reality. Rocks scraped against his skin as he skidded across the damp ground. One of his friends, Ignis, he noted when he looked up, helped Noctis back to his feet.

“Wha-what happened?” coughed Noctis, trying to clear his lungs from any remaining liquids.

“I was hoping you could tell us.” Ignis shrugged helplessly, looking back out to the water. “Did you get the shard?”

Noctis looked down at his hand. Empty. Cursing under his breath, he clenched his hand into a fist containing only frustration and anger. Glancing back to the water, he stared in amazement as the surface of it rolled and almost boiled with no visible source for the anomaly. Tendrils of water burst out from the surface, lashing out for them. He and Ignis broke away from each other to avoid the the water that crashed against the rocks. It did not break on the ground like normal water. Viscous, the water spread over the rocks without splashing all around them. Noctis looked to the others and saw them also dodging a similar tendril of water.

Moving fast, Gladiolus managed to bring out his axe and slashed against the moving water. His weapon sliced right through it and hit the ground, seeming to cause no damage to the tendril as it seeped back into the pool of water. A gunshot echoed throughout the cave as Prompto fired his shotgun at the surface of the water.

“ _ Tch _ . How in the hell are we meant to fight  _ this _ thing?” shouted Prompto. Noctis hurried over to his sword as the water was temporary silent. Even though it did not appear like it would do any good in defence or offence, it felt like an extra level of security. The Crystal Shard remained in the water, glimmering beneath the surface as though begging for freedom.

A new tendril of water shooting out of the deep pool caught them off-guard. Noctis barely ducked down when a sudden surge of cold air flowed over him. Crackling noises filled the air. Blinking multiple times in surprise, he looked up to see a tube of ice suspended above him. A frigid ice spell had frozen the tendril of water, halting its motion. The large tendril then shattered into tiny pieces, ice raining down on them and scattering across the ground after Nveus and Gladiolus managed to attack it.

Joyous cries came from Prompto, for it seemed they had found the way to handle the amorphous fiend. But they were short-lived. The water level rose around them, seeping across the rocks, around their feet, and covering the shards of ice. Surrounded by water, the fragmented ice began to melt, rejoining their original body of water. Their glimpse of hope was shattered like the ice.

“What about a lightning spell?” asked Prompto, stepping warily through the water that ebbed back into the pool. He kept his gun aimed at the fluid surface, with the full knowledge that his attacks would do little against the fiend.

“You can't be serious,” scoffed Ignis. “Lightning in this location? It would do more damage to us than to it!”

Noctis stared at the shard that remained beneath the water. Still it begged to be freed from its watery prison. He could only draw a blank when it came to thinking of a way to free it. Their physical attacks were useless, and any magic spells seemed just as futile. What options were left to them? He felt helpless once again. In his moment of desperation, Noctis' thoughts drifted to the usage of The Light. It had helped them once before...could it be of use again? He felt a chill seep over him, and not from any ice spell that had been cast. The Light was not the answer here. He hoped it never would be the answer again.

Biting his bottom lip, Noctis formed a plan that he was more than certain would not work. But he had to try. Anything was better than nothing at this moment. Dropping his sword to the ground once more, Noctis called upon the power of the Crystal. Pale light flowed around him, with glowing specs dashed in. The teleportation spell whisked him away like it had done many times before, like it always did. This time, however, it did not place him where he usually sought to go. Whenever he had used the Crystal to instantly move him from one place to another, it was always somewhere above ground. This time, he sought to reappear beneath the water, something he had never attempted before.

He coughed violently when he rematerialized in the water, mere inches away from the Crystal Shard. Already the water constricted around him, squeezing tighter and tighter at his invasion. It wasted no time in dealing with what it considered a threat. Noctis gritted his teeth and reached out for the shard once again. His hand closed around it. He could feel his fingers graze over the sharp edges of the glowing fragment. The moment of pain returned before it was followed by a numbing feeling that washed over his hand. As soon as he thought he had it, Noctis lost the shard.

Water rushed in between his fingers and became as solid as rock, halting his progress. It tore him away from the shard, flinging him back out of the pool of water. Noctis' body smacked against the hard ground once again, his head pounding in pain. Barely able to comprehend anything else at the moment, Noctis did not realize the hands helping him up until he stumbled to his feet. White hair fell in and out of his sight as he blinked to help clear his vision.

“Let me try,” said Niveus, already moving away from him. Noctis shook his head once more for good measure. Mind clearing, he looked over in time to see the pale woman dive into the water. With the shard more likely to react to the one around her neck, he saw a glimmer of hope that she would succeed where he had failed. Yet...

“Niveus! Wait!” he shouted, rushing to the edge. Reaching out, he tried to stop her, but like the shard in the water, she slipped through his grasp. “Stop!” His pleas were not heard. Niveus swam as hard as she could through the water. Much like Noctis, she also began to slow down against the restrictive water. “ _ Stop _ !” he called out again, almost begging that she would hear his voice and listen. Cursing under his breath, Noctis moved to dive into the water when his course of action needed to be changed.

Niveus was flung out of the pool of water in a similar manner to Noctis. But, unlike the both times he was thrown to the ground, she was tossed to a higher level of the cave. Without even needing to think, Noctis called upon the power of the trusted Crystal Shards so he could help Niveus back down to their level. Having expected to suddenly be above the ground, he staggered forward a few steps, nearly tripping over himself in surprise to what had happened: the Crystal had been unable to answer his call. It was there, he could still feel the power within his reach, yet it would not answer, it  _ could _ not answer.

“Oh, my, my, my.” A near-maniacal laugh filled the cavern. Noctis felt a shiver crawl up his spine. It had been many, many weeks since he heard that laugh. There was no mistaking it. After retrieving his sword, Noctis looked up to where Niveus had been thrown in time to see a woman step out from shadows. Hands on her hips, she walked forward proudly, a wicked smirk tugging at her lips.

“You stay away from her!” shouted Noctis, hurrying over to grab his sword. His eyes frantically darted around for some other means of getting up to Niveus' side. Leaving her alone by Acantha was not an option. “Niveus! Get down from there!” It was no use. Before Niveus could even bring herself to stand, a dark light akin to that of the Trucido's weapon flowed over her body, trapping her. She struggled against the magical binding, but all attempts were in vain.

“Well, this was certainly easier than I expected,” giggled Acantha, coming up to Niveus' side. Her smile perverse, the blonde reached out and stroked some of Niveus' bangs that were masking her face. The pale woman huffed and tried to pull her head away, but even that small movement was restricted. “I'd tell your trigger-happy friend here to lower his weapon unless you want your girl here to get hurt.” A wicked look in her eye, Acantha glanced over to where Noctis and the others stood.

The Prince's breath caught in his throat before he looked over to Prompto. Sure enough, his friend had his shotgun aimed straight for Acantha. A single shot could end it all, right now, yet... “Prompto, lower your weapon,” said Noctis. When he stared back at Acantha, he could see that there was not a doubt in her eye. With him not able to get to Niveus' side to help her, he could not take any chances.

“I got a clean shot, Noctis.” His eyes locked on his target, Prompto kept a steady shot aimed straight for the golden-haired woman.

Noctis bit his bottom lip, torn between letting his friend open fire and standing down. Desperate, he kept glancing between Prompto and Acantha. Neither of them were backing down from their mental stand-off. While he was certain that his friend's aim was true—it had yet to ever fail them—none of them knew what kind of tricks Acantha had hidden. That risk was more than enough reason for Noctis. “I said, lower your weapon,” repeated the Prince, sterner this time.

“Noct, c'mon, I got thi—”

“Lower your weapon!” he shouted.

Sighing in frustration, Prompto gradually lowered his shotgun, and then swiftly shot a glare at Noctis. He did not even bother sending his friend an apologetic look. Noctis' eyes were on Acantha and Acantha alone.

The woman's smirk widened. “There's a good boy,” she cooed mockingly. “But now I must admit I'm kinda sad.” With a sigh, she flicked her wrist in the direction of the pool of water. “I lost my bet with Lysander. I thought you would have been a bit smarter than to fall for this, but...” She gave a helpless shrug. Something flew past Noctis up to Acantha's outstretched hand. The Crystal Shard. Noctis shook his head in disbelief as the woman allowed the shard to be absorbed by Niveus' necklace. “I'm not one to argue with results.” Using the dark magic she had control over—was it a twisted use of The Light like the Trucido had used? Noctis could only suspect—Acantha then claimed the shard for her own.

Noctis felt his entire body tense at the sight of Acantha taking the combined fragments of their ancient guardian. It was in the hands of the enemy, and he could do nothing to stop it. Once more he tried to reach out for the power of the Crystal Shards, and once more they could not answer him. He could feel the power that used to be able to course through him at a moment's notice that now remained just beyond his grasp. The more he tried to chase after the power, the more it would be drawn from him. No matter how hard he tried, he could not summon the power to his use, and it was all because of  _ her _ .

“Now, since I like you, Princey Boy, I'm going to give you a choice.” Noctis could feel his skin prickle at Acantha's every word. Sadistic joy dripped from each syllable that escaped her lips. Whatever the choice, he already knew none of the options would be good. Her fingers nimble, Acantha looped the necklace around and began to twirl it in a full circle, allowing the motion to taunt Noctis and the others. “I'll let you choose: your precious rock, or your precious girl. But better think fast, Princey Boy, this is a limited-time offer.”

It felt as though a bucket of cold water had been doused over him. His eyes wide with a new-found sense of fear, Noctis focused his attention on Niveus. As he stared at her pale eyes, he grew surprised. She was not scared. She was not worried. She was not even concerned. No. In fact, she looked calm. Those eyes that had once disturbed him greatly now brought a brief moment of relief that was soon replaced with regret.

Unable to keep his head up any more, Noctis lowered it as though he could run away from his responsibility by doing so. Niveus. The Crystal. Which should he choose? If he had been given this choice back when they had first begun gathering the shards, of course he would have chosen the pieces of their ancient guardian over Niveus without a moment's hesitation. She had meant nothing to him, to any of them really, and, for the sake of his people, Noctis would have been able to validate the loss of one life for the good of the many. The Crystal, above all else, had to be kept safe. It was worth more than one life. Now, after all they had been through together, Noctis felt himself torn in two over the decision.

“Tick tock, tick tock, Princey Boy.”

He opened his mouth to try and voice some of his thoughts, to help clear and put them in order, or, at the very least, to ask for more time, but nothing slipped past his lips. He was incapable of coming to a decision that would not make his stomach churn in some way. The Crystal had to be protected. It was the logical choice to pick. It could not fall into the grasp of those who would destroy it, or possibly use it to bring harm to others. Yet, what would happen to Niveus if he chose the shards over her? Losing Hitomi, a poor, innocent girl caught in events she had not deserved, for the sake of the Crystal's life was bad enough. Would he have to bathe the Crystal in the blood of Niveus as well before he could bring it home?

“Time's almost uuuuuuuppppp...”

“ _ Noctis _ !”

“The Crystal!” shouted Noctis, his friend's yell snapping him from his thoughts and causing him to call out what had been on his mind at the time. Staring at Niveus, he could hardly believe his own answer. It was the best choice... It had to be. With the Crystal Shards in their grasp, it would be possible to save Niveus. By choosing the one, he could have both. At least...that was what he tried to tell himself for reassurance. That plan would only work if Niveus was even kept alive  _ to _ be saved. Regret already filling him, Noctis asked for Niveus' forgiveness with a begging glance. Her visage remained the same.

“Oh?” Acantha genuinely looked surprised at his answer. She blinked several times, the necklace's motion finally stopping and hanging at rest. “Well, that's twice you disappoint me today. I would have at least thought you'd choose the more gentlemanly option. Now I'm glad I didn't make a bet on this too! Ah well, what's a girl to do?” After giving an exasperated sigh, she tossed the shard once in her hand for good measure. “So this is what you want?” Acantha rolled the shard over in the palm of her hand, eyeing the glinting stone. It no longer glowed with the fervour that Noctis remembered. “Very well then. This is what you'll get!” Her look quickly morphing into a malicious grin, Acantha drew her hand back before whipping it forward.

“ _ No _ !” he cried out, his friends' voices echoing behind his. Noctis' feet become sluggish. His body became heavy. No matter how hard he tried to move his legs, they would not move fast enough. The shard flew through the air, too far away for him, or any of them, to get to in time. It was falling, and he could not protect it. If only he could use the Crystal's power, then he would be able to save it.

Shattered.

Broken.

Noctis staggered to a halt. He reached up to his chest, expecting pain to be tearing through him at the loss of the Crystal. It smashed onto the ground, breaking into nothing more than a fine powder that spread across the rocks. The faint glow that had always been around the shard now faded away, and the crystal dust became lifeless.

Panting hard from shock, his brow furrowed in confusion. With a glance down, Noctis stared at his hands, already clenched tight in anticipation for the pain he had expected to be coursing through his mind and body. Yet...there was nothing. No pain. No torment. No sensation that part of his mind and body had been torn out of him to leave a gaping hole behind. Everything was the way it had been before the necklace was smashed.

A cold, sadistic cackle echoed off of the cave walls, causing the noise to completely envelop them. “Oh this is just too  _ priceless _ !” Noctis stared up at Acantha. Her twisted grin that took such joy in his pain and confusion was spread wide across her face. That look caused Noctis to feel even more sick to his stomach. Just how twisted was she to be able to find joy in this? “You honestly believed that worthless lump of rock  _ meant _ something? After all this time, you still actually let yourself be fooled by its ruse? I guess that's why it chose this means of defence in the first place, then. It knew it could easily fool the masses.” Flicking some of her hair back over her shoulder, Acantha then roughly grabbed Niveus' arm. The pale-haired woman tried to struggle against her captor, but still her efforts were in vain. “Enjoy living with your choice, Princey Boy. Say goodbye to your precious Crystal!” With a swish of her arm, a mass of darkness engulfed the two women. When it subsided, neither of them were anywhere to be seen.

Noctis collapsed to his hands and knees, all of his remaining strength having been wrenched out of him. The Crystal's power...it was no longer with him. His body was cold, empty. It was not the same as the pain that had torn through him back when the Crystal first shattered. This was...this was emptiness, nothingness. No longer could he feel the presence of their ancient guardian. No longer could he sense where any of the remaining shards may have dwelt. Everything was simply...gone. Never in his entire life had he felt like this before. The Crystal's presence had always been there, whether he needed it or not.

“Wh-why...” breathed out Prompto, his gun nearly slipping from his grip. “Why would she take Niveus? Why would she even give that choice?”

Remaining on the ground, Noctis could not muster enough will and strength to rise up let alone give a response. He looked up to where Niveus and Acantha had been. So close...and yet he had been unable to do anything. Useless. Pathetic. If he could not save one person, he had no hope now to possibly save all his people. And the Crystal... His eyes darted over to the remains of Niveus' necklace. The Crystal had been deceiving even him all this time.

Movement caught the Prince's attention. Ignis walked forward, crouched by the lifeless dust, and studied some of it between his fingers. Grimly, he looked up after shifting his glasses. “Because that was what she was really after.”

“What?” barked Gladiolus. “Why in blazes would she actually  _ want _ Niveus?”

“I don't know how, and I don't know why—there's no mention of anything like this in the records that dealt with the odd shattering of the other Crystals during the Crystal Age—but, now thanks to what Acantha did and said, I do believe that Niveus not just carried the fragments of the Crystal, she  _ is _ the Crystal. Perhaps even the fal'Cie behind our Crystal.”

Silence.

Noctis stared at his bespectacled friend in disbelief. It sounded ridiculous. Impossible. Completely absurd. Yet Noctis found himself unable to argue, even if it turned out to be a futile effort.

“She's the  _ what _ ?!” coughed Prompto, unable to believe the information. “How could you possibly come to that conclusion?”

“All this time,” breathed Noctis. No longer could he deny what had become a growing suspicion in the back of his mind. No longer could he turn a blind eye to what had been going on right before them. Her scars... The way she acted around everything... The memories that had been slowly trickling back to her... “All this time...it was her...” That life within the Crystal he had always felt, it had been her. That presence that had comforted when he needed it most, it had been her. Always remaining a whisper. Always  _ there _ for him and his people. Now...she was gone. “What hope is there for us now? What can we even do?”

_ Smack _ .

Noctis' cheek stung painfully. In a small way, he almost welcomed it to the hollow numbness that had filled him since Niveus' disappearance. It was at least something he could feel again.

“Oh, grow up, will ya?” groaned Prompto, shaking the hand he had smacked Noctis with. “We keep doing what we've been doing from the start!” Frowning sternly, the blond reached down to help the Prince to his feet. “Noctis, who are you?”

“What...?” His brow knotted together in confusion at his friend's sudden question.

“Who are you?!”

Still perplexed, Noctis arched an eyebrow before answering, “Noctis Lucis Caelum.”

“Keep going.”

“Prince of Lucis. Heir to the Caelum Dynasty.”

“Aaaaaannnnnndddd...?”

“And... Protector of the Crystal.”

“That's right. So! If Niveus really is the Crystal, then you gotta do your duty as a Protector, l'Cie, whatever the hell you want to keep calling yourself, and get her safe! Nothing's changed.” His supportive grin faltering, Prompto scratched his cheek absentmindedly. “Okay, so things  _ have _ changed, but the basic idea remains the same.” At last, Noctis was able to give a weak laugh at his friend's point. And Prompto was completely right, Noctis' duty had not changed.

“That's all well and good an' all,” started Gladiolus, his voice sounding somewhat concerned. “But, assuming she's been taken back to Creon, how are we possibly meant to find where he is now?”

Noctis licked his dry lips and closed his eyes momentarily. Unlike after the shattering of the Crystal, he could no longer sense any shards. Now he assumed they were being blocked from him somehow, possibly the same reason behind him being unable to use its power minutes ago. Whatever the cause, it left him blind. There was no way for him to tell where they had to go. “We continue heading home,” he answered. Even to him, the notion seemed rather counter-productive to what they wanted. Home was no where near where Creon most likely rested. “Those old coots on the Council have had plenty of time to find more information on Creon. We'll find out where to go from there. And, if they don't know anything, I'll be in my right mind to have them all replaced once I take the throne.”

 

* * *

 

A cool breeze blew in through the streets of Yeon from the ocean. The warm golden buildings soaked in the sunlight, adding to the warmth of the city. Noctis was unable to enjoy the pleasant morning atmosphere of the coastal city. He pressed on through the dirt streets, hurrying past anyone that was in their way. Even this early in the morning, the sheer amount of people crowded the streets. So many... It annoyed Noctis for he felt it only slowed them down.

With minimal assistance for directions—for none of them really remembered how to get around Yeon—they eventually came upon the station for all the airships. The sky was currently void of them, leaving it as vast and as blue as the ocean. Noctis and the others made their way through the halls, searching for the right hanger. Sure enough, just like Cid had promised, word of him had already gotten around Yeon. If the word of mouth was correct, then  _ Daedalus _ should be somewhere inside. Locating the airship would be much easier than locating Cid and Valan inside the massive city.

_ Thud _ .

Noctis stumbled forward after something collided with him. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he looked up in anger to confront the person that had gotten in his way, yet there was no one at his eye-line. He was befuddled long enough for the person to speak up first:

“Well I'll be! You guys are actually back!” Looking down, Noctis and the others saw Valan staring in surprise at them. The younger Caldwell blinked a couple times before coughing and holding something out to the Prince. “I guess I should give this back...” he mumbled, not looking the Prince in his eyes.

Staring at what the younger brother had in his hand, it took Noctis a moment to realize that, yet again, he had his pouches stolen. Quickly, he snatched back his pouches, already feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment from having them stolen a second time, by the same person even. Light sniggers from his friends did not make it any easier.

“Kinda started to think you wouldn't bother coming back.”

“That thought did cross our minds,” smirked Prompto. Valan was quick to give the blond a light glare.

“Is Cid here?” asked Gladiolus, quickly changing the topic.

Valan gave a firm nod. “He's at our ship. C'mon!” Waving for them to follow, Valan hurried down the hall, passing by a few more hanger bays until they reached the one needed. The wide hanger opened up before them, nothing but clear sky above to allow easy access for the airships.

“Cid!” called out Valan, hurrying towards  _ Daedalus _ . “Ciiiiid!” After disappearing inside the airship for a few moments, the younger brother then came back out with the elder. Oily rag in hand, Cid continued to clean himself up minimally as he came out to greet Noctis and the others.

“Huh, so you're back,” remarked Cid.

“Did you guys really have that little faith in us?” asked Noctis dryly, arching an eyebrow.

The elder Caldwell brother gave a nonchalant shrug. “Wouldn't have surprised me. Jobs are actually pretty good here, so not like we cared one way or another. Save for the other half of the pay you owe, of course.”

Noctis double-checked his pouches at the mention of the fee. He was going to become rather paranoid about them now whenever he would be in large crowds. “Speaking of that... Are you ready to earn the rest?”

Cid glanced back at his airship before slowly nodding looking back to the Prince. “Sounds good to me. When are you ready to leave?”

“Immediately.”

The inside of the airship was just like they remembered. If at all, a little more run-down. The old piece of mechanical marvel really was slowly falling apart. As they traversed the corridors, Valan split off from them to return to his post at the engine to ready for take-off.

“So where's that girl that was with you? What was her name... Niveus? She decide to stay here or something?” asked Cid, plopping down in the captain's chair. While waiting for a response, he was quick to turn on the needed switches and buttons on the control panels. In a few moments, the airship came to life with a vibrant hum. There were a few odd noises that caused the others to grow concerned about whether or not they would even be able to make it back to Domumna in one piece.

“She's been taken,” answered Ignis once it became clear that no one else would answer. Noctis' throat was clenched up tight, not allowing any words to slip through. The very notion that she was now in the hands of Creon made his skin crawl. She—their Crystal—was in the hands of the very people that sought to bring it...no,  _ her _ , harm.

“She's  _ what _ ?” Cid looked back at Ignis with disbelief. His start-up procedure faltered for a moment. Quick to react, Cid soon had them stabilized and rising into the air. “Why would someone take her? Just what happened to you guys while here?”

“It's a long story...”

“And I'm not getting paid to know, right.” Yoke firmly in hand, Cid steered the ship down the coast. The giant machine continued to speed up over the land, miles soon passing by in the blink of an eye. Once they were far enough away from Yeon, the  _ Daedalus _ was pulled out over the ocean. Nothing but blue surrounded them. Blue ocean. Blue sky. So vast and empty. Noctis stared at the water spread out before them, watching it slip past underneath.

“Can you make this airship go any faster?” Noctis managed to ask, his voice dry. It would take too much time to return to Domumna let alone back to Lucis at their current rate. Every moment, every second, counted. And those small moments felt like eternity. They dragged on slowly by to the Prince due to his mind wondering what could possibly be happening to Niveus. Crystal or not, she did not deserve this.

“How much faster?”

“As fast as this ship can go. I don't care about safety protocols or whatever, if this ship is still holding together, I want it to go faster.” A concerned gaze from the captain caught Noctis' attention. He did not like putting the airship at risk, and even all of them at risk, but it needed to be done. It had to be done. For the sake of the Crystal. For the good of his people. Licking his lips, Noctis cast his head down, shame sinking in. Was that truly all he ever spouted as reasons? He could justify almost anything to himself with those words. Now that he thought about it, it made him feel like a puppet. Strung along by his kingdom, strung along by their ancient guardian—or possibly a fal'Cie according to what they learned in Erebus—every action he took was for the sake of someone else's will.

“Hey, Valan, can you hear me?” called Cid after turning on the intercom.

_ “Whaddaya want, brother?” _ crackled back Valan's voice.

“I need you to max out the engine. Give 'er all ya got!”

_ “Are you serious? The last time we tried pushing it, we almost didn't make it to our destination! I'm not entirely sure how some of the parts will hold out if we try.” _

“Then we'll find out. Just do it, Valan.”

_ “And put  _ Daedalus _ at risk? What's so important?” _

“I'll explain later. Let's just see how fast this thing really can go.” Pulling back from the intercom, Cid fiddled with some more settings on the control panel. His actions were quick and fluid from knowing the workings of the airship like the back of his hand. For a brief moment, he halted, and looked back. “Uh, you guys may want to sit down or hold onto something. I'm really not sure how this'll go.”

Not wasting a second, Prompto swiftly took the one other open seat in the cockpit. He gripped onto the arms tight, as though his very life depended on it, which it very well could. Ignis and Gladiolus took their places at the sides of the cockpit, holding onto whatever secure piece of metalwork they could find. Backing up, Noctis stood in the doorway, griping onto the frame for support. Once they were all secured, Cid finished the routine his was in, gripped the yoke tightly, and let the ship soar.

Noctis staggered back from the sudden increase in speed. It was as though they jumped into overdrive. Already the airship began to vibrate more than what he considered within normal parameters.  _ Daedalus _ groaned and hummed in protest to suddenly going so fast. Loose wiring and odd pieces started to rattle, causing Noctis and the others to grow more and more concerned. Just as it felt like the ship might completely shake apart...it quieted down. Still speeding along over the ocean,  _ Daedalus _ returned to its initial state. No longer did it feel like the airship would break apart any moment. For now, they were safe.

A sigh of relief came from Cid as he leaned back in his chair. Even the seasoned sky captain seemed surprised by the fact that they were still alive. After cracking his fingers, Cid sat back up straight to input new data into the control panel. “The worst part's over for now...I think. If we keep this pace up, and don't crumble apart, we should reach Domumna in the late afternoon. Hey, how's the engine, Valan?”

_ “Shakier than I'd like, but it should hold. I'll holler if anything starts going horribly wrong.” _

“Well, that's all we really can do for now.” Leaning back once more, Cid dusted off his hands. “You guys don't have to hang out here, y'know. Go do what you want—I'll let you know if I need your help.”

“Or if something goes wrong?” asked Prompto warily.

Cid let out a light cough, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yes, that too.”

“I guess that'll have to do. Anything you wanted to do while we waited, Noct?” There was no response. Only the hum from the airship filled the silence. “Noctis?”

Without excusing himself or saying anything to notify the others, Noctis had already slipped away. The corridors seemed emptier than he remembered, despite all the loose wiring and dented panels that littered the floor. His feet heavy, he trudged his way through the interior of the airship, hoping no one would come to bother him. He was tired, drained, completely exhausted. No longer was he his complete self. The absence of the Crystal was taking a harder toll on him than he expected. Would he even be of any use in saving Niveus? He could only hope that with some rest now, he would be able to provide some assistance.

No longer concerned about the state of the airship, Noctis found his way back to his assigned room from the previous crossing. He opened the door, headed inside, fell to the bed, and let sleep take him.

 

* * *

 

A sudden lurch woke Noctis up with a start. Nearly falling from his bed, Noctis' head thudded in pain from alarm that now blared through the air. Lights flashing in emergency, he hurried through the corridors, nearly tripping a couple times in the process, until he reached the cockpit. There Cid was quickly trying to fix the situation from his end. Ignis, already present in the other seat, was lending what assistance he could give.

“What's going on?” asked Noctis, raising his voice loud to make sure he would be heard over the siren.

Cid spared a glance back before focusing on the control panel. With a few more buttons pressed, the lights stopped flashing and the siren ceased to blare. As the previous silence settled back in, Noctis heard Prompto and Gladiolus joining them.

“Did you fix the problem?” panted Prompto.

“Not exactly,” coughed Cid. “I just turned off that damn alarm. Valan? How are things?”

_ “How do you  _ think _ they are?” _ shouted Valan back over the intercom.

“Humor me.”

_ “Not good. I really don't like keeping the engine at this level! We've already blown fuses three, four, and five. I don't know when any of the others will go. And if we lose at least two more, this won't be an airship that can stay in the air!” _

“Don't we have any spare parts?”

_ “Yeah. We do. Back in  _ Atherna _!” _

A heavy sigh escaped Cid as he ran a hand down his face. He looked tense and worried, not a combination Noctis wanted to see from their sky captain. “Do what you can to keep us in the air. We're maybe thirty minutes out now. Keep me updated.”

“Anything else we can do to help?” asked Gladiolus.

Cid was silent for a few moments. His eyes were darting all over the cockpit, visibly calculating variables and possibilities, running over all the details of  _ Daedalus _ . “Nothing,” he eventually sighed. “Just wait and hope. That's all you can do.”

“You  _ do _ have a back-up emergency protocol if we have to abandon ship, right?” enquired Prompto. The blond was quick to start looking for ways to emergency exits.

“Yeah, but hopefully we'd get over land before that happens. Haven't exactly tested them over the ocean.”

Rising from his seat, Ignis headed over to Noctis, appearing to be the only one who was capable of remaining calm in their current situation. “May I speak with you a moment?”

Noctis' gaze shifted between his bespectacled friend and the sky captain. “Yeah, sure.” Stepping back into the corridor, the Prince and the others went far enough back so that they could no longer be overheard by Cid.

“How are we going to return to Lucis?” questioned Ignis, his gaze stern.

His mouth opened to respond, nothing but an odd noise came from Noctis. His brow furrowed. How  _ were _ they going to get home? “I'm...I'm not sure.”

Prompto huffed and laced his fingers behind his head. “Can't we just drive?”

“Driving from Atherna to Lucis would take a while. I'm assuming longer than you'd like.” Biting on the inside of his cheek, Noctis nodded at his bespectacled friend. Enough time was already wasted travelling back to Domumna, nearly an entire day. Travelling to Lucis would only add to that wasted time. And, after that, they would still have to locate and find Creon. Time, time, time. They did not have enough time. It was against them more than ever now. “Then may I suggest that we have Cid fly us to Lucis? Assuming that we even make it to Atherna in one piece...”

“ _ What _ ?” hissed Gladiolus. “And let someone else into Lucis in its current state? What if he finds out about the Crystal?”

“It won't matter at all if we're unable to  _ retrieve _ the Crystal. Besides, it's not like we have to tell him every little detail. All he needs is a destination.” Holding his gaze firmly, Ignis challenged them in his own way to argue against his point. Like past experience, no one dared argued. “Speed is of great importance to us now. There's no faster means of transportation that we have at our disposal than that of the airship. And, to keep the knowledge of us to a minimum, it would be best if we stick to the sky captain we've already had dealings with.”

“All right!” Noctis raised his hands to stop his friend from speaking any more. “Y'know, sometimes you do rattle on about your points too much sometimes.”

Ignis merely shrugged the matter aside. “Someone has to make sure you guys understand.”

“Okay, now that's settled...what should we do?” asked Prompto.

“Just what Cid told us: wait and hope.”

 

The landing was much shakier than any of them expected, but it was still a safe landing. The airship sighed in relief after it was able to settle down on solid ground once again. Though the air was its home, even it needed a moment of reprieve after being pushed to its limits.

“Well, you guys are back in one piece,” sighed Cid as they headed down the opening ramp. “Y'know, I do expect a rather sizable tip for getting you back so quickly.”

“Make them cover the cost of the fuses too!” added Valan, scampering down ahead of them. The health of  _ Daedalus _ was all that mattered to him right now, and so he quickly scurried off to get the needed replacements.

“He does have a point.”

“Speaking of payment,” began Noctis, glancing down to make sure his pouches were still there. “We have a new...job proposal for you.”

Cid merely gave the Prince a flat stare. “Really now? You want to hire me again before even paying for the rest of this one? What exactly were you thinking of doing?”

“Hire you to take us where we need, no questions asked. And when we're done, you can choose whatever you think is a fair price for your services.”

“Really now?” The sky captain arched an eyebrow. Though clearly intrigued by the offer, he could not hide his skepticism either. He eyed Noctis warily, not quite able to believe the proposition just yet. “And how am I supposed to know you'll keep your end of the bargain?”

“I give you my word.”

“And what good is your word?”

Noctis cast his gaze down. At the moment, his word meant nothing to Cid. He was a nobody. A wealthy nobody, but he was no different in the eyes of Cid than all the other people of Atherna. His gaze once again stern, Noctis looked up straight into Cid's eyes, mustering all the power in stature that he could. It was time for his schooling as royalty to pay off. “I give you my word as Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prince of Lucis, and heir to the Caelum Dynasty.”

Cid stared at Noctis.

And stared.

And stared some more.

“ _ You _ ? A  _ Prince _ ?  _ Seriously _ ?” The sky captain burst out laughing. Noctis shifted his weight uncomfortably, looking around to see if anyone else had heard the sudden outburst. “Was not expecting that little piece of information.” Cid's amused mood then faded away and was replaced by a sombre realization. “Does that have something to do with Niveus' capture?”

“Something like that,” replied Noctis, his tone solemn.

Cid arched an eyebrow, expecting a bit more elaboration when he remembered, “Right, no questions asked...” Cupping his chin in his hand, Cid looked back to his airship. His lips moved slightly with his thoughts as he weighed the risks that could very well befall him and his airship. “Well, fixing up  _ Daedalus _ will take a couple hours at best. There's nothing much I can do to help speed that up, so we're grounded until then. Wait at the Cantina where we first met.  _ Daedaus _ is at your service once repairs are done. Just expect a pretty big bill when this is over.” Cid held out his hand. Taking it firmly in a handshake, Noctis sealed their deal.

Nodding in farewell, Noctis and his friends took their leave and headed for the Cantina. With none of them knowing much about the mechanics of airships, they would be of little assistance in the repair of  _ Daedalus _ . It was best if they just left the Caldwell brothers alone and let them do their jobs. Even with the waiting time for repairs added on to travelling, reaching Lucis via  _ Daedalus _ was still their fastest, and easiest, option.

The Cantina's air stung Noctis' eyes, the alcohol and smoke still heavy inside the building. Atmospheric music and the drone of chatter still dominated the sounds of that hung in the air. Nothing had much changed inside the Cantina. The dim lighting completed the dingy mood. As much as he wanted to drown his sorrows with alcohol now, Noctis made sure to avoid such temptations as they found a table that they could wait in peace.

“It can't be...” mumbled Gladiolus. Drawn by whatever it was he saw, Gladiolus began to head off on his own. It did not take long for him to get lost in the number of people.

“Gladiolus? Gladiolus!” called out Prompto, noticing their missing friend first. His voice barely rising over the din of the Cantina, Noctis and Ignis just managed to see their other friend slip away. Following the blond, they caught up to Prompto as he caught up to Gladiolus. “ _ Gladiolus _ !”

Almost like a person possessed, their scarred friend grabbed a man by the collar of his shirt and dragged him over to the wall. No one looked twice at the commotion, which made Noctis wonder just how often altercations like this happened inside the Cantina.

“Gladiolus, what are you  _ doing _ ?” questioned Ignis.

“Gathering information. As leader of the Black Bandits, you know a lot of stuff, don't you?”

Saul sniffed in disapproval at the scarred man. The “fearsome” leader of the group did not seem disturbed by the unfortunate situation he was currently in. Noctis found himself looking around the Cantina, concerned that any number of the people inside were under Saul's command. “So much for my vacation,” murmured the auburn-haired man. He focused on one of Gladiolus' arms that were right by him, keeping him pinned uncomfortably against the wall, and dusted away some imaginary dirt. “Well, what can I help you gentlemen with?” he grinned, a hint of sadism in his voice. No matter how pleasant he was trying to seem, he could not hide the twisted man he truly was.

“What do you know of a man named Creon?” demanded Gladiolus, not letting his anger subside.

“Creon, Creon, let's see...” Tapping a finger to his chin, Saul looked up, seeming to wrack his memory for any knowledge he had on the elusive man. “Now where have I heard that name before?” Slowly, most likely to taunt and annoy them, Saul continued to tap a finger against his chin. The rhythm of the action changed now and then, as if he were running through a song now rather than worrying about the question. “Ah yes, I know of a man by that name. What do you need to know?”

“Any intel you may have on him, but, most importantly, we need to know where he's located.”

“Well, y'see, a man like Creon is on the move a lot. Might be hard to pinpoint exactly where he is. There's no telling where he is at any moment.”

Gladiolus slammed a fist against the wall, mere inches away from Saul's head. The leader of the Black Bandits did not flinch or even bat an eye. He remained smug and conceited, as though he were in complete control of the situation. Anyone looking in would not come to that conclusion, but Saul certainly had.

“Where's his blasted base of operations, dammit,” growled their friend, his patience long since pushed past its limits.

Saul's grin widened. “Why didn't you just ask that in the first place?” Saul received nothing but a sharp glare for his comment. “As far as I know, Creon likes his little place in Moriens Valley. Now, do you know where that is or do I have to draw you a wittle map?”

“We know where it is. But is Moriens Valley really where Creon is?” interjected Ignis sternly before Gladiolus could growl anything else out.

“If my intelligence is right, which it normally is, then that's where his main base is located. Now, whether he's there right now or not, I can't say. Not like I keep tabs on him all the time. I just pick up what trickles out.”

Noctis felt ready to run out of there and find a different way to get to Moriens Valley as quickly as possible. He no longer cared about checking with the Council for information back home. What they had gotten from Saul was already good enough for him.

“How do we know this information of yours is trustworthy?”

“Aw, c'mon, what have I  _ ever  _ done that would make you think it can't be trusted?” Noctis and the others all gave Saul flat stares. The leader of the Black Bandits coughed nervously before scratching his cheek. “Yeah, yeah, all right. Don't answer that. But, think about it, did I actually ever  _ lie _ to you guys before?” All of them suddenly fell speechless. When they thought back, they could not pick out a lie he had ever told them. “I'm on my break,” he shrugged. “Besides, Creon's not exactly on my list of acquaintances. You ever hear 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'?”

“Why is Creon your enemy?”

“Well, maybe not an  _ enemy _ per say, that's such a strong word, really. Creon's more of a...concern for me and my group.” He licked his lips, finished with his explanation. After eying Noctis and his friends, Saul let out another sigh, seeing that they wanted the Black Bandits leader to continue. “Remember that Obruo that was in my possession? I know Creon and his lackeys are looking into those ancient robots. That alone is a bad sign.”

“And  _ you _ looking into them isn't bad?” interrupted Prompto.

“Hey, you want me to finish or not? We were just doing research, trying to reverse engineer it to see what we can learn. Then possibly sell to the highest bidder. But that's neither here nor there. Creon, as far as I know, wants to use an  _ army _ of those things. And you already know how tough they are. What he wants isn't good for me or my people, let alone anyone else. Plus, with him down, that's one less competition I have to worry about. And you guys seem pretty riled up to go after him, so consider my little tidbit of information a gift.” He pursed his lips together, judging their expressions. “I swear, that's all I know.”

“All right,” mumbled Gladiolus, finally letting go of Saul. “Thanks...I guess.” Dusting off his hands, the scarred man stared to pull away. He halted for a moment, a single thought catching his attention. “Oh yeah... Almost forgot.” In a flash, Gladiolus spun back around and punched Saul clean across the jaw. No one around even looked up at the commotion.

Groaning in pain, Saul staggered back upright, nursing where he had just gotten hit. “Wha was  _ that _ for?” he moaned out, his speech slightly impaired.

“Payback for capturing, torturing, and holding us hostage.”

Saul blinked at them before slowly nodding. “Yeah, all right...”

 

* * *

 

Land slipped by underneath the airship. Moriens Valley was not much farther out. As long as  _ Daedalus _ held—it had already been shaking more than they would like despite the patchwork that had been done—they would reach the southern valley late in the evening. Only then would they know whether Saul's information was truthful or not. Though he could no longer sense the shards, Noctis believed they were on the right path.

Out of the main window in the cockpit, Noctis watched the sunset. Seeing the distant ball of bright light pained him more than he thought it would. His mind drifted back to the last sunset he saw, and how sombre Niveus had been. That same depression felt like it began to plague the Prince. Tearing himself away from it, Noctis focused on the land that stretched out before them. Niveus, their Crystal, was out there somewhere.

“Well, this is Moriens Valley,” commented Cid. After changing a few settings on the control panel, the airship began to slow down. “There's a building on the sensors, I'll check there first.”

Moriens Valley was aptly name. Dry and parched, the land looked like it was slowly dying. It was not the same lifelessness that had been around Velens. That land had been pure blight, cursed, torn from ancient scars of the past that could not heal. Moriens Valley was just a part of the earth struggling to live. Little nutrients in the ground allowed only the toughest of plants and animals to survive in the valley. With no human cities or towns, it did seem like a decent place to have a place of operations with very few people knowing about it.

“ _ Whoa _ !” cried out everyone as the airship lurched and shook suddenly. Sirens and lights flared up. Like before, Cid turned off the alarm so they could speak and think clearly.

“I think we found them!” shouted the sky captain, quickly revving the airship to go faster again to avoid any more hits. “Man, that just came out of no where!”

“Can you get us a view of where the attack came from?” asked Noctis, holding onto the framework of the airship so he would not get jostled around again.

“Juuuuust a sec.”

_ “Cid! A few more hits like that and we won't be able to stay airborne!  _ Daedalus _ is in bad enough shape as it is. Don't make it any worse! _ ”

“I know! I know!” Huffing out, Cid turned the yoke sharply, causing the airship to veer between explosions, avoiding them by no more than a hair's width in some cases. At the same time, a clear view of the ground beneath became available.

“Obruo...” breathed Noctis, his eyes widening. There were so many. Not nearly the massive amounts as the ancient factory had held—that at least gave them hope that Creon still did not know of the great surplus of destroyers—but still a large enough number to worry them. Just how many had the man been able to scrounge up from the depths of history? Getting inside the structure would be more difficult than any of them had anticipated. Not that they had believed it would be easy, but nothing like this.

“How are we supposed to even get down there?” asked Prompto, nearly plastered up against the window.

“Sorry, but landing's not an option,” grunted Cid, all his focus on keeping  _ Daedalus _ away from the attacks that were being shot at them. The lasers from the Obruo were getting closer and closer. “Hey, Valan, pull away from the engine for a bit. Get four landing devices and meet them at the main exit!”

_ “I'm a little busy here!” _

“ _ Now _ , Valan. We'll only have one good shot at this! Get down there  _ immediately _ !” The intercom was silent after Cid's order. “You four should get down there as well. It may not be the brightest of ideas, but I think it'll give you a better chance at getting in than trying to walk past all those things. I'll fly over, and you guys are gonna jump down to the roof. Valan'll explain the details of the jump. Now get going!”

“Cid, about your pay—” started Noctis as he turned back around in the doorway.

“I'll be holding you to your word,  _ Prince _ Noctis. When you're done, come find me in Atherna. You really won't want me coming after you for what you owe me. Get outta here! And good luck.”

Nodding to the sky captain, though Cid did not see, Noctis then hurried back to his friends who were already making their way through the messy corridors. Prompto cursed a couple times for he was the one to nearly trip over the internal rubble.

“Hurry! Over here!” called out Valan, waving at them once they were in his sight. The hatch was already open, and the fast winds tore at them. Attacks continued to explode outside, some seeming much closer than they would have liked. Noctis' attention was brought back to Valan as the younger brother pressed something into each of their hands. “Any of you used one of these little suckers before?” Noctis stared at the device that was not much larger than his hand. Though it looked vaguely familiar, he had never used one before. All of them shook their heads, which caused Valan to sigh. “Listen closely. These are a V-28 PLD, Personal Landing Device. Not widely used, but they get the job done. What you're gonna have to do is jump from  _ Daedalus _ when Cid gives the order, and make sure you do  _ not _ drop this on your way down, or else you will have a very different landing. I've set them already, so when you're at the required distance from the ground, they will start beeping and have lights flashing. At this point, you'll have to throw them  _ straight _ down at the ground. You got a  _ little _ leeway room, but don't screw it up! And then, well, if done right, you land safely! Got all that?” Once they nodded, Valan smashed his hand on the intercom button. “Cid! We're ready when you are.”

_ “All right! On my mark!” _ Feeling more nervous than he would have liked, Noctis headed to the hatch to wait for their descent. If something were to go wrong, he had no way of saving himself or his friends without the power of the Crystal at his disposal. His own mortality felt so much closer to him.  _ “Jump!” _ All four of them ran...

And leaped out of the airship.

There was nothing but the sound of the wind whipping against his ears. Noctis may have jumped from heights many times before, but they never felt like this. Everything was so...raw. He was having difficulty keeping his eyes open against the tearing winds. The ground looked so far away one moment, but then so close the next. He thought they were going to spatter against the roof of the building, or possibly get shot down by one of the Obruo.

He was pulled from his disconcerting thoughts as the PLD went off. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Noctis managed to open his eyes wide to get a clear view of what was beneath them. The roof was rushing up at them as they plummeted down and down. Grunting, Noctis threw the PLD straight down at the roof, the other three soon whipping by his vision as his friends did the same. The devices fell, and they continued to fall as well. How exactly were they supposed to land?

Closing his eyes, Noctis braced himself for the worst—but then really, how does one brace for death? With gritting his teeth, Noctis prepared himself as best he could for the brief moment of pain before it would all slip away.

But no pain came.

Instead, a viscous material caught him. Slowing his descent, Noctis was settled down onto the roof smoothly. Opening his eyes, he saw a yellow-green fluid-like substance beginning to flow away from him. It peeled off of him, leaving no trace behind. After seeping onto the roof, it evaporated away, leaving only the casing of the PLD behind.

“Well, that was definitely...different,” remarked Prompto, standing and trying to keep himself from shaking so much. Around them, the Obruo continued to fire, and they all looked up.  _ Daedalus _ was pulling away, the Caldewell's job done. Concerned, Noctis did not look away from the airship until the ancient destroyers ceased their assault. “Now what?”

Noctis closed his eyes, hearing a faint remnant of a whisper in the back of his mind. It was faint, and weak, but he welcomed the sensation nonetheless. There was only one thing it could be. “She's here. We go find Niveus.”

 


	22. Death

Everything was quieter on the inside than Noctis expected. No longer could the din of the fading battle from outside be heard. It was as though the Obruo never existed. Their hurried footsteps echoed throughout the massive halls. The structure seemed ancient, as though it had been pulled from the very pages of history. Noctis did not have time to study the craftsmanship of the building to judge whether it dated from before the Cyrstal Age or not. All he focused on was turning down the next hall and the next in search of Niveus.

Cool light flooded in through the massive windows. When Noctis spared a glance outside, he could see the Obruo still lingered, but were slowly moving as if summoned. Seeing them on the move caused Noctis to pick up his pace, his friends following closely behind. The size of the halls could allow for the girth of an Obruo, not by much, but possible. Fearing that the ancient destroyers were now coming after them, the Prince quickly turned down another hall in attempts to put more distance between them and the Obruo.

While not maze-like, Noctis still became confused over where to go inside the building. Every corner he took had an equal chances between taking them towards where he wanted to go, and taking him further away. Though he could sense that the Crystal was somewhere inside, that was the extent of his knowledge. A veil over its presence was keeping him from pinpointing exactly where it was located. After a while of running around, he could not help but wonder if he had already travelled in circles a couple times—there was very little to distinguish between one hall and another.

“Where is everybody?” asked Prompto after they peered inside yet another empty room. There was furniture, various equipment, some most likely from their era and some appearing like they had attempted to be reconstructed from ages past, and even some plain junk from tests that had failed, but there was not yet another person anywhere in sight. So far the only other sign of life were the organic machines that had disappeared from the views outside. “When Creon came to Lucis to steal the Crystal, didn't he have a whole bunch of foot soldiers at his disposal? I know some died and others became our prisoners, but don't you think a man liked him would still have minions?”

“There's still Acantha, and, who was that guy, the one with the green hair?” noted Gladiolus. Noctis had nearly forgotten about the green-haired man they met in the depths of the volcano. He had been working for Creon as well.

“Yeah, but they don't exactly seem like they'd be part of the mass of pawns Creon would use for the grunt work.”

“Maybe they are pawns,” murmured Ignis. “Maybe everyone is a mere pawn to Creon, to be used as he sees fit in this mad game of his.”

“Whatever, just keep an eye out for anyone!” Noctis huffed back. “If we find anyone, make sure  _ not _ to kill them.” With no need for secrecy—their arrival had been loud and obvious—the Prince actually hoped to run into someone. That way, information could be gathered concerning Niveus' exact location, or perhaps Creon's. They were running blind at the moment.

Once he became confident that they had searched the entire floor they were on, Noctis relocated the stairs and proceeded to the next level. A systematic approach was all they had at the moment. Still he could not sense whether they were closer or farther from the shards. Still they found no one they could extract information from to help them. At least they had yet to even cross paths with an Obruo; a shred of good fortune was better than nothing.

The equipment and trash from the failed tests were becoming more and more concerning. Without further studying what was left in the rooms, they could not tell what it was Creon was trying to achieve through experiments. Some were looking much more gruesome than any of them expected to see. Parts of Obruo were easy to distinguish, but others... The failed parts looked akin to the substance that the Obruo were constructed from, but were much smaller than any part that made up the ancient destroyers, or even the Trucido, Noctis managed to note with relief.

On the third floor down from the ceiling, they finally saw it: what the experiments had been for. Noctis and the others stared inside the room, horror slowly etching onto their faces. Tossed aside like worthless garbage were more completed forms of the smaller pieces they had found upstairs. What had previously been indistinguishable now formed pieces that were clearly limbs...torsos...and heads.

“I think we found his sacrificed pawns,” whispered Gladiolus, his voice nearly choking. Almost twisted and mangled beyond recognition, the malformed remains of what had to have once been human were strewn across the floor, small piles being formed of the failed experiments. Noctis immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and nose, expecting a putrid smell to be rising up from the bodies. No such scent filled the air. Despite how old the torn flesh appeared to be, there was no smell of death and decay lingering in the room.

While there was no scent that made him want to wretch and lose his stomach, the sight of the perverse experiments was almost enough to accomplish that on their own. Hoping he would not bring up what little food he had inside of him, Noctis dared venture further into the room to study the abandoned experiments. Flesh had been ripped off from body parts, and was replaced with the substance they found upstairs. It was a cruel combination: true human parts and the organic-like machinery that made up the Obruo. For whatever reason, these attempts at creating a new a new solider had failed. Many lives had been lost in the progress. Noctis could only wonder what it was exactly Creon sought to achieve with this madness.

“Why would someone do this?  _ How _ could someone do this?” asked Prompto helplessly. None of them enjoyed the sight they were forced to witness. Prompto swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry as a thought dawned on him: “Is he going to do something like this to Niveus...?”

Noctis' body involuntary seized. Looking at the perverse experiments, he had not drawn that conclusion. If Creon was trying to create some new soldier, then he very well might seek to use Niveus. Though back when he had first crossed paths with Creon, the man seemed more interested in destroying their Crystal rather than using it, but plans can always change.

Pushing himself away from the grotesque experiments, Noctis hurried past his friends and back into the halls. The urge to find her was even stronger now. Worry seeped through him as he thought about what could have happened to her in the time since she had been taken. As disturbing as the failed devices and experiments were, he could not let them burrow in and corrupt his thoughts.

Further into the building they travelled, and still crossed paths with no one. Though the inside of the building felt more like a graveyard at the moment than anything else, the atmosphere of the place was unusually smothering. It was old and oppressive. While the place may not have always been a home for twisted experimentation, it did not seem to hold a pleasant past. Noctis made sure to peer around each corner now, rather than rushing down them like he had done before. Fear of crossing paths with a completed test subject, or worse, and Obruo, now reminded him to be careful. If something horrid befell any of them, rescuing Niveus would become a much more difficult feat to accomplish.

On the fourth floor from the ceiling—how many floors to the building were there anyway? They had not been given a good chance to study and learn the layout before infiltrating—they came across a most interesting room. If the previous rooms they had ventured into in search of Niveus held abandoned experiments, then this one held those that were in progress.

Large test tubes were set up near the walls. Inside them were those that had once served Creon, suspended in a viscous liquid. Noctis hoped as he grimaced that they had been willing followers of Creon rather than people that had been forcibly taken from their homes and family to be used as test subjects. It did not make his stomach rest any easier, for what was going on was still sick and twisted, but it was one less matter to have looming over his thoughts.

Controls and completed equipment filled up the rest of the room, not leaving much free space inside. The room was cold, much colder than anywhere else they had been thus far. Lights blinked on the control panels, and bubbles rose up from those inside the tubes, causing Noctis to briefly wonder if anything could be done to save them from their new cursed fate. But his thoughts were soon drawn from that matter when he saw who else was in the room with them.

Standing by one of the control panels and monitoring the information that scrolled up the screen, Acantha brushed back some of her golden curls. Nearly growling under his breath, Noctis swiftly drew forth his sword. Likewise, his friends also readied their weapons and spells to fight the sadistic woman.

“Shame, I would have thought you'd show up faster,” sighed Acantha, turning around to face Noctis and the others. Already there was that ever-present smirk tugging at her lips. Giggling, she gave a flirtatious wave and a wink at them, causing the rage to build up inside the Prince. “You know, had you been here a few hours earlier, you would have actually found your precious Crystal in here.”

“Her name is  _ Niveus _ !” shouted Noctis. Though now they knew she was the embodiment of their Crystal, he could not un-see her as Niveus—the woman who was dragged into all of this against her will, who just wanted to learn who she was. He would never know who she was meant to be, what the true soul of their Crystal was like, but he would always know Niveus. That was who he had come to care for. No one else.

“Call the form of its trickery what you will, but that doesn't change what it is: a mere tool of the fal'Cie!” spat Acantha, as if the very notion of it disgusted her. One second her hands were down, and the next they were up with knives flying from her grasp. The sharp projectiles zoomed through the air, barely missing their targets as Noctis and his friends dodged to the sides.

“Noctis, get out of here,” commanded Ignis, his voice low.

“What?” snapped back the Prince. He spared a glance at his friend, not able to believe what he heard.

“Get out of here and find Niveus. You have the best chance of locating her.”

“But I can't sense exactly where she—”

“You'll find her! Now get out of here. We'll take care of Acantha.”

Pursing his lips together, the Prince looked back to the golden-haired woman. He was torn. His mind was telling him that he should stay and help his friends with Acantha, but every inch of his body wanted to continue after Niveus. If she had been in this very room a few hours ago, then he hoped that she was still somewhere inside the building. Whether she was now in a worse situation or not, he dared not think of an answer.

With a grunt in frustration, Noctis spun on his heel and hurried out of the room. He would have to trust that his friends would be fine against Acantha and whatever tricks she may have at her disposal on their own. They were tough, he knew that—there were times in the past when his friends had even bested him in spars when he trained without the use of his powers, as much as he did not like to admit to his loses—but Acantha wielded a dark and twisted power, one that could very well be unmatched.

“I guess we need to make this quick then,” smirked Prompto, momentarily tapping his gun to his shoulder. “Get me one clean shot and I can end this in a flash.”

“How I hope you boys can make this fun,” taunted Acantha, pulling forth more knives. “Although you seem to have me at a disadvantage. Oh, what  _ ever _ will I do?” Acting dramatic, she placed a hand to her forehead.

With Noctis no longer there to tell him to lower his weapon, Prompto took his first shot since she was leaving herself wide open for attack. He could be rather sly in battle, not worrying too much over what was considered honourable or not. If he had a shot, he would take it. It was his belief that doing such saved more heartache and guilt from seeping in later. Plus, she had already initiated the fight, anything now was fair game.

His shot was deflected with a quick wave of her arm, a wall of luminous darkness forming before her as protection. Her mood once playful was now dead serious. Gone was her desire to toy with them beforehand like some predator toying with its prey before killing it. “So that's how you want it to be, huh? For such worthless pieces of trash, you sure can be annoying. Very well then. I suppose now's as good a time as any to test our new soldiers.” Keeping her wall of darkness up before her, Acantha backed up a step and smashed her hand on the control panel.

A low groan filled the air as a section of the back wall began to move. It ground against the floor in protest to being forced to move, and grudgingly did as it was commanded. Out from the shadows walked men. No, not men. What walked out from the darkness was no longer human. Prompto felt his breath catch in his throat as he saw the completed versions of the failed experiments walk into the room.

Human in proportion and build, that was where it seemed their humanity ended. There were not even faces to recognize anymore. Hands were replaced with scythe-like weapons molded into their limbs. Skin was infused with the foreign material that the Obruo were constructed from. And their faces were transformed into robotic surfaces, with nothing but glowing red eyes for features. They were nothing but a mockery of the human lives they once were. Destroying them would not only be helpful to the three friends, but it would also be an act of mercy to the remnants of people that were trapped inside.

“What...what have you  _ done _ to them?” demanded Prompto, switching his aim to the three new foes that had stopped walking out.

“Servio.” Acantha moved to another control panel, calmly inputting data.

“And what about them? Are they also some monstrosity that you've dug up from the past? Using humans as sacrifices to bring them back to life?”

A cold laugh chilled the air. “Like the Obruo? Not quite. Those things are handy, but are really rather slow, and a bit more difficult to deal with than we anticipated. They're useful like tanks. Texts we found even spoke of a more powerful and faster form of the Obruo.” Prompto involuntarily swallowed. A stronger Obruo could only mean one thing: the Trucido. Was there another ancient murderer lying in wait for them? Fighting the one was difficult enough, and that was when Noctis could control the Crystal's power and even summon The Light to their aid. If they were forced to cross paths with another now, he could only see the true Gates of the Underworld in their future.

“But we never could find such a machine. However.... _ these _ ...” Acantha took a moment to give a look of praise to her work. “These are  _ our _ creation. It took many tries, but we finally got a stable result. I never would of thought that the Crystal would be useful to us, but that's why Creon was the one to see it. Let's put them to the test!”

Eyes flared in response, and the Servio came out of their comatose state. One moment they were where they had stopped, and the next they were right in front of Prompto and the others. While the Obruo focused more on raw power and strength, these Servio focused much more on haste and agility. They were altered humans, after all, so their strengths had to be drawn from what they once were. The blond only hoped this meant they were noticeably weaker than the Obruo as well—as weak as humans could be, he hoped.

Rolling back to avoid getting sliced in half, Prompto raised his shotgun and fired an un-precise shot at the Servio that was focused on him. At that moment, he did not care about taking careful aim for the most crucial part of the twisted human's body. As long as the shot its his target and he could assess how the attack went, that was good enough for now. The Servio swiftly raised one of its bladed limbs and deflected most of the attack. Scratches, from what Prompto could discern, were the only proof that his shot had hit its target.

He could not help but grin slightly as he pushed himself up, catching a glimpse of Ignis and Gladiolus finding ways to deal with their own attackers in his peripheral vision. While not a great wound, the scratches and dents were something. These human-Obruo hybrids were not as impervious as the ancient destroyers were. These slaves could be taken down with time, he believed.

A hiss of pain escaped Prompto as something sharp sliced across his cheek. It stung the skin around the newly formed wound, with trace of a burning sensation left to fester inside the exposed flesh. Had he not still been moving to reposition himself around the Servio, the damage left behind would have been much worse.

“Quick little fella, aren't ya,” said Acantha from the far side of the room. She tossed up one of her knives before stepping back into a pool of darkness and vanishing. A blade coming down before him caused Prompto to stumble back, nearly tripping over his own feet. The Servio was still his first and foremost opponent.

“Guys! Watch out for that crazed Acantha!” cried out Prompto over the sound of his gun. This time, he took more time in his aim and nicked the Servio right between the artificial eyes. What would have been a death blow for a human left nothing more than a deep dent in the organic machine. A deeper dent than his previous attack, but still just a dent. He spared a glance first at Gladiolus and then at Ignis. Gladiolus was having similar problems to Prompto: his attacks, even with his mighty axe and power behind it, did not do much more than just leave nicks and scratches behind. Ignis, who was currently focusing on more magical attacks, was able to slow down the Servio before hm, but not capable of fully destroying it.

Backing up to gain more space, Prompto then ducked as he heard a noise from behind. Over where his neck had been a moment ago sliced a knife with the dark light coursing over the metal.

“You don't exactly like to play fair!” he called out to Acantha as he scurried away from her and the Servio that already neared him.

“Being  _ fair _ has nothing to do with battle!” Stepping back, a pool of darkness swallowed up the golden-haired woman.  _ “The very notion of a victor and loser means that something was unbalanced, unfair,”  _ called out her voice that echoed through the room.

Anguish filled the air as Gladiolus let out a loud yell. Acantha had targeted him next. While the scarred man had managed to block her attack with his weapon, the Servio had also struck at the same time. Had it not been deflected just enough by the end of his axe, Gladiolus would have most likely lost an entire limb rather than just getting sliced along the skin.

Cursing under his breath, Prompto fired again at the cruel woman. She slipped away into darkness, causing his shot to hit the wall on the far side. Dodging past the Servio that was still focused on him, Prompto tried to reach his scarred friend's side. His grip on his gun tight, he smashed it into the other Servio's head as hard as he could. The attack felt like it did more damage to his hand than the hybrid machine. However, the twisted experiment staggered back, revealing a hint of its human side that was buried deep within.

“You okay?” panted Prompto, helping his friend away from the foes.

“I've had worse than this, don't worry.” Gladiolus gave a half-wince, half-grin. His moment of reassurance was cut short when his eyes grew wide. “ _ Move _ !” The scarred man pushed Prompto to the side and brought up his axe at the same time. Regaining himself, Prompto spun around and fired off a magical attack rather than another shot from his firearm. The combined attack hit the Servio and caused it to become momentarily stunned. That caused Prompto to grin, for it reminded him of how they won against the Obruo. Together, the friends hurried away from the other Servio.

“Ignis!” called Prompto, looking over to see their bespectacled friend fending off another assault from Acantha. The woman used her powers to disperse his fire spell before sinking back into the shadows again. Gladiolus smashed the third Servio away, giving them a moment of reprieve. “We do just what we did with that Obruo before.”

But Ignis pointed out, “Spells alone don't seem to be enough. They're more resistant than I expected.”

Prompto could not help but smirk at the fact that he was certain he had come up with a solution before his more intelligent friend. “Hence why it's not just magic. Gladiolus! Get ready!” Stowing away his shotgun momentarily, Prompto then brought a spell to his fingertips. “On my mark.” His friends prepared themselves. This would all be over in a second. Success was so close, Prompto could taste it. No longer dazed, the Servio swarmed towards the friends, their scythe-like weapons ready to strike the moment they were within range.

“ _ Now _ !”

Magic coursed through the air, erasing what little distance remained between the friends and the Servio. Lightning crackled, making a small  _ boom _ as it exploded on its intended victims. Rather than casting a lightning spell like Ignis had, Prompto doused the Servio in water, helping to conduct the lightning spell over and through them. Their combined spells managed to slow the Servio's movement, but it did not stop them completely, as Ignis had previously discovered. But there was one more step to their combined assault.

Their movement impaired, Gladiolus took that opening to strike the twisted experiments. Unlike before, his attack did more than just leave a scratch in its wake. With all his force behind it, Gladiolus' axe sliced into one of the Servio's limbs. Prompto felt his gut churn at the sight of blood. It was not that he was unused to blood, quite the contrary, but in their fight against the hybrids, he had almost forgotten that the core of the Servio was human. Though now robotic in nature, there was still an echo of human life inside, the blood being testament to that.

Gladiolus grunted in frustration as he pulled his axe back and attacked another. No matter how hard he swung, no matter where his strike landed, he could not deal any more damage to the Servio than a shallow cut.

“I suppose I can give you points for remembering that little tactic. But you honestly thought I wouldn't have fixed that weakness? Oh, you boys have much to learn.” A maniacal laugh filled the air.

Prompto cursed under his breath as he and his friends were forced to back up against one of the walls. The test tubes that held more of the sinister experiments flanked them, causing him to feel even more trapped. Desperate, he watched the Servio as they came from their stunned state. If only they had Noctis' powers at their disposal, but alas, none of them had ever been chosen as Protectors. Even the ability to use The Light would have been better than nothing now. He did not have the same hatred for it as Noctis did. If it meant saving them, Prompto would use that power in a heartbeat. With nothing else to use in their arsenal, he could only come up with another of his wonderful plans.

“I got a crazy idea,” breathed Prompto after firing at the Servio, their movement still somewhat hindered.

“When do you ever have a normal one?”

“Stay close to me.” The Servio lunged for the friends. “ _ Move _ !” he yelled, firing another attack, and this time infusing it with a lightning spell. Incapacitated for a second from the magical spell, the Servio staggered to the side. That gave Prompto and the other two enough time to slip past the malformed creations. Once past the Servio, Prompto raised his gun and let another shot ring through the air. Unlike the previous ones, his attack was not focused on any foe. Pushing himself to go faster, Prompto hurried towards where his shot had struck...

And jumped through the shattered window.

“ _ You're insane _ !” shouted Gladiolus, his voice nearly whipping away on the wind that swirled around them after jumping out of the room. Prompto was unable to laugh in jest at his friend's remark. He very well felt insane himself at that moment. Jumping from a building when he did not know how high they were...what had he been thinking? Not much. Desperation, the struggle to keep on living, could cause him to do things he never before thought him capable of doing.

Rolling to help cushion his fall, Prompto landed to the ground which had been two floors below them. His legs protested at the pain inflicted upon them from the landing, as well the rest of his body did too. While Noctis' teleportation ability would have been a great boon for that little stunt, they had managed to pull through on their own. Relying on Noctis' powers all the time would only cause to hinder them more than be of use; it was good for them to act without him around sometimes.

His body still aching, Prompto pushed himself up, hearing his friends land near him with a muffled  _ thud _ . Bringing his shotgun up, the blond swept the area for immediate threats. Had there been any Obruo in the vicinity, their situation would have only gone from bad to worse. A sigh of relief escaped him when he noted none of the ancient destroyers they had seen when landing were around.

“What did you have planned next?” questioned Ignis, wincing slightly from his not-so-pleasant landing.

“Next...?” repeated Prompto, drawing a big blank.

“Right. Never mind. I forgot that you don't plan ahead.” A weak laugh escaped Prompto. Even he knew that statement to be true. Following plans laid out by others was easy enough for him, but he cold never formulate his own intricate and precise course for his actions more than one or two steps ahead  _ if _ he was lucky.

“Run!” yelled Prompto, his eyes widening as he saw the Servio leap from the window they had just fallen from. Unlike the friends, the hybrid machines did not appear shaken by their landing. Prompto and his friends hurried away, searching for a better location where they could fight without crossing paths with the Obruo.

Skidding to a halt, Prompto ducked down in time to avoid getting his head lopped off by a scythe-like weapon. Back to their initial speed, the Servio were easily capable of catching up and overtaking the friends. With multiple curses escaping him, Prompto backed up until he collided with one of his friends. The last of them bumped into the group, and they could go no where else. The Servio advanced upon them, surrounding all sides of the friends and cutting off any escape route.

“Was this a part of your plan?” growled Gladiolus, keeping his axe up as a minor attempt in defence.

“Not quite, but this could work.”

“How the hell does  _ this _ work for you?!”

Prompto's throat tightened as the Servio raised its limb to strike. Death's scythe loomed above him as time seemed to slow. Had he brought his friends to their end? Guilt managed to sink in. As a last attempt to save his life and that of his friends, Prompto grabbed onto them, and pulled them down to the ground when he ducked for cover.

Closing his eyes tight, he focused on the inside of his eyelids, still not sure if he was not feeling the attack from mere shock. He should have been hit. He should now be screaming in pain as his life seeped from him and the darkness closed in. But no such event occurred.

The sickening noise of of blades slicing through robotic casing and human flesh filled the air. A strong scent of blood rose up Prompto's nostrils, smelling much more putrid than normal with the hint of oils and other robotic fluids joining in the mix.

He ventured a glance up and gasped slightly. With how they had been positioned around the friends, the Servio had managed to attack each other instead. They had been able to resist the attacks from magic, gunshots, and a powerful axe, but they could not resist their own scythe-like weapons.

Sparks flew up from the wounds as blood oozed out. Damaged beyond functionality, the Servio toppled back. Not quite able to believe their luck, Prompto leaped up into the air and hollered in joy. His celebration was cut short as a knife dug into his shoulder from behind. Now a cry of pain escaped him, but it was not the death wail he had expected to pass his lips moments ago.

“You certainly are a surprising bunch. And as lucky as hell,” snarled Acantha, joining the scene.

Growling in anger, Prompto spun around, his gun in his off-hand since his good arm was temporarily useless, and fired at the golden-haired woman. The loud  _ bang  _ filled the air, echoing off of the outside of the building before fading away. Smirking, Acantha lazily raised a hand towards the blond. His shot froze in mid-air, inches away from her outstretched hand. She began to give another chilling laugh that then faded away unnaturally.

Her sadistic smirk morphed into a furrowed brow of confusion. As she let Prompto's shot fall to the ground, she brought a hand up to the side of her chest. Pulling it back into her vision, she gazed at the crimson liquid that stained her fingers.

“But... How...?” she rasped, more blood flowing from her gunshot wound. She looked in the direction the shot had been fired, as did Prompto and Gladiolus, and saw Ignis standing to the side, a handgun with a trail of smoke rising from the muzzle firmly in his grip. Before Acantha could fully comprehend and react, the bespectacled man emptied the cartridge of bullets as fast as he could, some hitting and some missing his target. Acantha fell limp to the ground, no longer moving.

“How long have you  _ had _ that?!” shouted Prompto in disbelief. Gripping his wound to help stop the bleeding, he marched up to his bespectacled friend who was lowering the gun.

“Since we left Lucis.” Putting the safety back on, Ignis studied the gun for a moment before stowing it back underneath his jacket. “I mainly brought it in case something happened to yours—I knew you wouldn't have brought a spare.” Prompto coughed lightly. His friends knew him too well. “I only planned to use it if it was the only choice I saw. You know I don't like using guns if I can avoid it—my aim sucks with them too.”

Prompto arched an eyebrow and glanced back to where Acantha's body lay. “I dunno. Those were some pretty good shots there.”

“I was aiming for her head.”

“Oh...”

“Fools...” gurgled out a weak voice. The three of them rushed to Acantha, their weapons ready in case she managed to try one last attempt at taking their lives. Blood flowed from her mouth. Her eyes were no longer able to focus on anything. Breaths were short and ragged. She coughed as they neared, more crimson liquid spurting from her mouth. “I'll be ...able to serve...Creon more now...than I  _ ever _ could before.” A sharp gasp from her filled the air and she nearly choked on her own fluids. Before the life vanished from her eyes, she managed to croak out one more warning: “Death is o-only...the beginning...”

 

* * *

 

It was hard to leave his friends, but it had to be done. As much as Noctis wanted to worry for them, there was no longer any room for that. If Niveus had been in that room full of perverse experimentation, he feared what Creon might have done to her. What experiments had he already used her in since her capture? What did he want from the Crystal? Pain and guilt tore through the Prince at the thought. He was failing her, both as a Protector and as a friend.

His feet thudded against the carpeted halls, rushing as fast as his legs would move him. Every room he looked in held no sign of the pale woman. Niveus was here, yet where could she be? The building had not seemed quite so large when they had a glimpse of it from the outside, yet it felt more and more massive with each failed attempt at locating her. He wanted to yell out, hoping that she would hear him, hoping that she would know that she was not alone, but he remained silent as he traversed the halls. All his strength and concentration was put into finding Niveus.

Hope was beginning to fade from Noctis. He grunted in frustration as he flung open a pair of doors, hurrying into the massive room that lay on the other side. Dozens of windows allowed what light that still hung in the evening sky to flow in unimpaired. Pillars rose up, casting shadow after shadow across the floor. The room felt akin to a throne room, especially when compared to all the previous ones he had been in. The only thing that kept it from being a throne room was the lack of a throne. Instead of a grand chair made for royalty at the far end, there was...

“ _ Niveus _ !” yelled Noctis, managing to push himself even faster. The pale woman lay across the floor at the end of the room, either asleep or unconscious. She could not be dead. He would not allow himself to even consider that possibility. The Crystal's presence flourished in his mind, proving to him that it was still alive. Trying again to use its power, it still would not listen. Back in the cave, it had tried to answer his call, but was continuously taken further and further away from him. Now, however, it did not even acknowledge his presence. It was as though it no longer held any affinity for him. It was merely there.

Blood began to boil within him from his fuming rage. He gripped his sword tight, readying to strike the person who was the cause behind all of this.

“Leave her alone!” he shouted, his voice sounding weaker than he would have liked. Creon stood over Niveus, his back to the Prince. Without bothering to face Noctis, Creon raised a hand, and the Prince ran straight into a wall of dark energy. Shaking away the pain in his face, he struck against the barrier that kept him from Niveus. As much as he tried to damage it, all of his efforts were in vain. Curses escaped him as he then tried to find an end to the barrier. It did not matter which direction he ran, the barrier extended to both walls, keeping him completely blocked.

“So, did you come for the mere disguise that had fooled you all this time? Or did you come for your beloved Crystal?”

“Both,” answered Noctis without hesitation. It was what he wanted: to save the Niveus they had come to know, and their eternal guardian. To him, they were each their own being and should be treated as such. “Let her go. Now!”

“Or what?” Turning around, Creon glared at Noctis. “You'll stop me? You no longer have the power of your petty Crystal! What do you possibly hope to achieve?” The Prince remained silent, trying his hardest not to be goaded by Creon's remarks. He had found Niveus. He  _ would _ save her. “I'll make you a deal, my good Prince: you tell me where the rest of the shards are and I might just let you and your friends, if they live, run back to your dying home.”

Noctis' brow furrowed in confusion, but said nothing. There were still more shards? He could sense no further fragments, none at all. Yet Creon seemed serious with his offer—the dark-eyed man truly believed there were still more to be collected. Instead, Noctis asked, “What do you want with them?” He glanced between Niveus and Creon. “Are you just going to destroy her when the Crystal's complete?”

A wishful sigh escaped the dark-haired man. He glanced up before closing his eyes, as though basking in some form of bliss. “To cut the final line that ties us to the False Gods of the past would be a glorious cause for celebration indeed. But that joyous occasion will have to wait a little bit longer.” Creon clenched a hand tightly as he glared back at Niveus. He seemed disgusted at having to be so close to her, having to use her for whatever his intentions were. “The new foot soldier I've been trying to engineer has run into some...technical difficulties, despite using the power of The Light. No matter what, the Servio would just not remain stable. We could not create what they had already accomplished thousands of years ago.

“Attempt after attempt failed. Nothing would work. I couldn't figure out what was going awry. Until, at last, I realized it: back then, some who followed Etro were still able to use the fal'Cie's tools; they had the power of the Crystals at their disposal as well, not just The Light. They were able to use the False God's own power against them.” A twisted grin parted Creon's lips. He seemed in love with the very notion of using the Crystal's powers against their creators. “So now we shall use your precious Crystal to further our experiments. Once it is complete, so too will our Servio. And, once it has served our purpose, then your Crystal shall be destroyed.” His diabolical grin faltered when his attention focused on something behind Noctis. “Lysander? What are you doing back here so soon?”

His sword still drawn, Noctis spun around to see the green-haired man from before walking calmly up towards Creon. Lysander paid Noctis no attention, and showed no signs of soon jumping into a fight. While he did not appear to be a threat, he did not look like an ally either. Wary, Noctis stepped to the side, keeping his distance and guard up against the green-haired man. When Lysander finally glanced to Noctis as he neared the barrier, he regarded the Prince with such disdain that Noctis could not believe. To him, Noctis was nothing more than a insignificant bug that was not even worth the time it would take to squash. Focusing back on Creon, Lysander stepped smoothly through the barrier as though it did not even exist.

Noctis saw his chance and took it. Believing that anyone was able to pass through the barrier for a brief moment, he rushed towards it. For his efforts, all he received was a sore face, and almost a broken nose. Forced back, he fell to the floor, his sword flying from his grip. Instead of merely stopping him, the barrier had flung him away with a greater force than he had started with. Groaning in pain, he managed to push himself up, his head still spinning.

“Did you find any of the remaining shards?”

“I wasn't able to locate any on his excursion,” answered Lysander, still walking towards the dark-eyed man.

Creon glowered in disapproval. “Then why are you still here? Since this worthless Prince doesn't have the others, I need you to retrieve them so tha—”

A sharp gasp escaped Creon as all the air flowed out of the man.

Croaking, he grabbed onto Lysander's arms for support. Creon stared at the green-haired man, all he knew now shattered. Struggling for breath, he tried to reach up to Lysander's neck, a final attempt at retaliation, but he could not finish his task. Another gasp filled the quiet air and Creon's arm fell down as his body began to sink. Sneering in disgust, Lysander wrenched out the knife he had buried deep within Creon twice. The murdered man fell to the ground, his body limp, and all the life drained from his dark, soulless eyes.

The barrier before Noctis fell. He remained momentarily stunned, still gazing at the event that had unfolded before him. When he realized he could now reach Niveus' side, he rushed forward, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. He barely took five steps when his body could no longer move. He grunted in frustration and struggled against whatever now rooted him to the ground.

Lysander's hand was outstretched in Noctis' direction. The Prince looked down and saw the same dark light that had encased Niveus when she got captured. A dry rasp of disbelief slipped past his lips. Though Lysander had just taken Creon's life, he was no ally to the Prince.

“Such a narrow-minded fool,” grumbled Lysander, kicking the motionless body of Creon to the side. “Only capable of thinking of such minor and petty things to do with all the power at his disposal.”

Noctis ceased trying to escape from his magical bindings. Without the aid of the Crystal, he had no hopes of freeing himself. It was best for him to save his strength. “ _ Petty _ ?” he repeated in disbelief. “Destroying the civilization of Lucis is  _ petty _ ? Murdering the last remnant of a brighter and better age is  _ minor _ ?”

His gaze cold and uncaring, Lysander looked down to Noctis. “Those were merely....less-than-desirable-for-some side-effects of his narrow vision. He wanted to destroy the last fal'Cie's Crystal because it was the only threat left capable of stopping his plans...” Lysander smirked slightly, cleaning off Creon's blood from his knife. “At least...that's what he thought. With the Obruo and Servio he created, he planned on ending the cold war and unifying everyone under Etro's Light.” He scoffed. “It almost sounds like a noble feat...if you ignore the fact he wanted to rule all.”

“But you were  _ working _ for him! Isn't that what you wanted too?”

Lysander laughed. It was not as cold and hollow as Acantha's had been. His sounded insane. “Not in the slightest. It's just best to let someone else do all the dirty work for you when it's possible. Though he  _ did _ make me do most of the heavy lifting.” The green-haired man glowered at Creon's corpse, the mere memory of all he had to do disgusting him. “He was a fool to think his plan perfect. In the end, he would still be a puppet to The Light, like the people were puppets to the fal'Cie.

“As long as he had to rely on getting his power from somewhere else, he would always be weak. He was content with the mere morsels of power he could reach...just like you and your Crystal. I can almost see why; even such a small taste of the power seems like so much. But I know there's more.” Reaching into a pouch, Lysander pulled out a few shards that were encased in the dark light for protection. Noctis gasped at the sight of them. “Rather than being controlled by The Light, rather than being its pawn, a conduit for its power, I will  _ control _ The Light entirely.”

Noctis shook his head. Everything sounded so absurd. “How could you  _ possibly _ hope to control The Light? That's—”

“Etro's domain, yes. The Goddess of the Underworld governs all the souls that pass into her realm. If I were to die, and pass into the Underworld, then I would be under her rule. That would not be beneficial to me.” Keeping the Crystal Shards in front of him, Lysander turned around and knelt before Niveus. “But if I were to open the Gates of the Underworld and pass through while living, my will would be my own. When a person dies, the Gates open, and their soul travels into the Underworld, but just enough to allow that soul to pass through. If more people would die at once, a great and terrible number, then the Gates would open large enough to allow someone through.”

“Then why don't you just do  _ that _ ?” grunted Noctis, still hoping he could find some way to free himself from his bindings. With Lysander no longer focused on him, he looked back to his sword. It seemed so far away. If only the Crystal would answer him. He could have his sword and free himself from the dark light. “Surely the Obruo would be able to slaughter enough for you.”

Lysander made a light noise in agreement. “This is true.” Lowering the shards in his possession, he allowed them to be absorbed by Niveus. Since she no longer had the necklace that had attracted all the other shards, the last few were drawn directly into her. A glow grew brighter and brighter, slowly seeping over body until every inch of her was covered. “But that would create more complications to my plan rather than give it a boon. For you see, all those souls would then just be under Etro's will; they would increase her already endless power.”

The glow fading away, Niveus' body remained on the floor. When Noctis saw her, he gasped sharply. Gone was her pale skin and hair. Instead, her entire body was covered by a foreign substance. No, not foreign. There was no possible way for Noctis to mistake what now enveloped her. Pale and blue, the light in the room refracted through the crystalline material that covered every inch of her body. Noctis shook his head in disbelief when he noted that her body was not covered by the material, but now  _ consisted _ of the crystal substance.

Lysander eyed Niveus as she slowly stood. Her expression was the same as it had been back when she first met Noctis and his friends. Emotionless. Blank. Empty. A flat stare came from her crystal face; even her eyes had been transformed, leaving glowing orbs in the place of her pale gaze.

“Interesting...” murmured Lysander. Leaving Niveus as she was, he looked back to Noctis. “You see, the fal'Cie were connected to the Goddess' realm. With their power, it is possible to open the Gates of the Underworld without slaughtering thousands.” Behind Lysander, Niveus began to move. Unlike Noctis hoped, she was not heading towards Lysander to attack him. She slowly turned around and walked closer to the back wall of the massive room. Holding out her crystal hands, power began to swirl around them, creating a vortex of magic on the wall. Lysander smirked. “See? My way of doing this is much more humane than the alternative.”

Noctis stared helplessly at Niveus. He called out to her, but she did not respond. She continued to weave her powers, the vortex on the wall growing larger and larger. Bells somewhere began to toll, their reverberating sound far, distant, and not of this world. “And then what?” he shouted to Lysander. “What do you then hope to achieve?”

“What else? To usurp the Goddess Etro and take claim to her realm as the God of the Underworld.” His grin insane, Lysander turned back to the vortex that was beginning to open. Ribbons of light poured out from it, the bells of the Underworld now tolling even louder. “And when the Underworld is my realm, I shall stretch out my hand to this one, expanding the reach of the land of the dead until all is under my domain.”

“You're mad!”

“Mad? Or am I the only one who figured out how to succeed in the game of this pitiful world?”

A loud bell toll shook Noctis to his core. The vortex split apart, opening the Gates of the Underworld. Unnatural wind lashed out at them. The land of the living and the land of the dead should not be connected in such a manner. Large ribbons of light swirled around the room, threatening to grasp onto something and pull it into the Underworld.

“Farewell, Prince Noctis. Enjoy the last few moments you'll have in your precious world.”

“ _ Stop _ !” Noctis panted harder than he thought he should be. To his surprise, Lysander actually stopped and turned back to face the Prince. “That's it? You're just gonna leave us here? What will happen to Niveus!”

A mad laugh came from the green-haired man. “You still covet the tool of the fal'Cie so dearly? Oh my, they would have loved a blind fool like you back during their height of power.  _ Niveus _ , as you call it, is nothing but a tool to be used by the strong. The attachments you believed you had with it meant nothing, as you'll soon see. Either your belief will be shattered when it destroys you, or you will have failed your duty in defending it when you destroy it to live. Whichever the order, it matters not. Soon all of you will join the denizens of the Underworld.”

Noctis called out for Lysander to stop, words being all he had now. The green-haired man did not halt again. He walked towards the Gates of the Underworld, the unnatural winds tearing around him and the ribbons of light wrapping over his body. The man allowed himself to be taken through the Gates, disappearing from the world of the living.

The dark light vanishing from around Noctis, he fell to the ground, his body not having expected to be able to stand on its own again so suddenly. Winds died down as they were sucked back through the Gates. Ribbons of light disappeared, receding back into the depths of the Underworld. Death's toll chimed one final time before silence overpowered it. The Gates of the Underworld closed and vanished without a trace.

Panting hard, Noctis looked up when everything once again became calm. Niveus' transformed body remained still, standing where she had been the whole time during the opening of the Gates. So unnatural... The sight of her now nearly frightened Noctis.

“Niveus?” he called out softly, rising back to his feet. Still her body was motionless. Still she was transformed. He thought she would have changed with Lysander's departure. He thought she would return to the way he knew her. “Niveus...” He swallowed nervously. “Are you okay? Can you hear me?”

Tendrils and shards of light swirled around her. In a flash, she vanished from his sight, the Crystal's power still usable by her. Before he had time to process what had happened, Niveus reappeared before Noctis, a crystalline form of her old weapon now in her hands and coming straight for the Prince. Crying out in surprise, Noctis stumbled back to avoid her attack.

“Stop this!” Trying to keep away from her flurry of attacks, Noctis hurried to reclaim his sword. The blade was all he had as a defence. He reached out for the handle, it almost within his grasp, when it was moved halfway across the room, remnants of shards of light lingering in the air above where it had been . He cursed under his breath, rounding back on Niveus who continued to advance towards him, partially walking and partially using the teleport ability.

“Niveus, fight this! This isn't you!” He begged with every chance he got for her to stop. If she would just hear him, if she would just listen, then maybe he had a hope of ending this madness. As he was, weaponless, and without the Crystal's power to answer his call, he could see no hope in defeating her. Did he even want to? Noctis winced and hissed in pain as an attack of hers dove into his arm. Warm blood seeped out and down his limb. Did he even want to find a way to win against, not only her, but the Crystal he had always vowed to protect? Part of him did not want to win. That small portion of his mind was just telling him to stop being so futile, to just let her be victorious. It was his duty to protect the Crystal, even if that meant giving up his life so that it may live.

Holding onto his arm, Noctis tried to reach for the sword again, slower this time. Though he deceived himself into thinking he should still try to fight, his body was not responding like it used to. Again, his sword was moved elsewhere, creating an endless game of chase that he could not win. And in this game, there was no second place. As long as he tried to retrieve his sword, he could not win.

He grit his teeth and chose a new course of action. Niveus appeared before him to block his path, just as he had hoped. She swung at him, her movement fluid and almost graceful compared to his reactions that were growing sluggish. Dodging her attack, he got under and in between the space from the tip of her weapon and her. Locking her arms with his, he stared into her glowing orbs for any shred of the Niveus he knew.

“Listen to me!  _ Please _ !” She struggled against him, her crystalline expression still a blank mask. “I would  _ never _ harm you. Remember? I never want to hurt you! I'm not your enemy!” The eyes he now wanted to look away from gazed right back, unblinking and unchanging. How he longed to see her pale eyes at that moment. The glowing orbs he was forced to stare at were chilling. Despite being a part of his ancient guardian, they scared him. But he held her gaze all the same, hoping she would remember and come to her senses.

Did he dare use the power of The Light against her? The option flashed through his mind before he removed its taint from him as though it were poison. Using The Light to save her had been bad enough. There was no way for him to be able to bring himself to use The Light to harm her, even if it meant saving his own life. Had he done that, he would have been no different than the people that brought harm to the fal'Cie by using The Light.

His grip collapsed in on itself as she teleported to safety. With her no longer in front of him, he frantically spun around and searched for her crystal figure. Following the wisps of light, he saw her standing back near where the Gates of the Underworld had been opened. That unwavering gaze of hers stared at him, trapping him in place. As he managed to break his gaze from hers this time, he noted something different about her: where had her weapon gone?

A yell of anguish tore through the air. Breathing hard to deal with the pain, he looked down to see her weapon sticking into his chest. Automatically, he reached for it, wondering if there were some way he could remove it safely for it had not gone all the way through him. When he touched it, pain shot through his body, causing him to yell out again as he fell to his knees. In his moment of blinding pain, the weapon was removed from him with a flourish of light. No matter how hard he tried to put pressure on the new wound, he could not stop the bleeding. Noctis' head became light, his vision became blurry, and he fell face-first to the ground.

No bells tolled for him.

Darkness. Darkness surrounded him completely. It was just like his dreams from before. However, this time there was no voiceless plea. There was no need for him to chase after what he could not reach. There was no sense of failure when he could not save their ancient guardian. How he wanted to simply disappear into that darkness now. There would be no more worry, no more fear, nothing. If the world he knew truly was going to be consumed by the Underworld, then perhaps it would be best if he just let the darkness consume him.

His consciousness began to slip away, the edges of darkness encroaching upon him. When he thought there would be no more, he heard footsteps. Distant at first, each step drew closer and closer to him. They were muffled from walking on some sort of soft material. The darkness began to ebb away, giving him the opportunity to open his eyes.

Life flourished all around him. Plants grew abundantly in the warm glow of the sunlight that trickled through the canopy. Barely able to lift his head above the height of the grass, he made out the bare feet that walked towards him. With each step of the bare feet, plants grew exponentially, life and nutrients pouring into them. Grass shot up, saplings sprouted, and flowers bloomed. Unable to keep his head up even that little amount any longer, Noctis allowed himself to fall down onto the soft ground, the warm scent nearly lulling him to sleep.

At last the footsteps stopped before him, and he found the strength to again look up. Bathed in a warm light, Chinoka stared down at him, that endless gaze from her golden orbs piercing through him. Remaining quiet, she studied him, causing him to become rather self-conscious.

“You said before that you would even die for the fal'Cie that lingers in this world through your Crystal,” she said, though her lips did not move. Noctis vaguely remembered admitting to her that he would be willing to die so that their ancient guardian would live. It had come down to that, and he had made his choice. Yet why was Chinoka now here? “That time has not yet come.” Her golden eyes finished studying him, and she smiled warmly. Leaning over, she held out a hand to him.

Noctis could only stare at her hand, his mind unable to figure out what he should do next. Should he take the offer? What would happen to him if he did? “There is a task I require of you. Rise, Prince Noctis, and take your place as a l'Cie once more.”

Pushing aside his tentativeness and confusion, Noctis brought himself up from the ground, and took a hold of Chinoka's hand. Power rushed through him, and he felt his life renewed. Her grip firm yet soft, Chinoka finished helping Noctis to his feet.

The lush forest around him disappeared, leaving the cold walls of the room in its place. Air filled his lungs, sensation returning to his body as he was brought fully back into the world. His head spun violently, taking longer to re-adapt to his surroundings. No longer did his wounds bleed, for now, they were patched up.

He was forced to react much faster than he had hoped. Niveus appeared before him, swinging her weapon as soon as she was fully materialized. Crying out in surprise, Noctis danced back to avoid getting hit again, already his movements faster than they had been mere moments before. As soon as he moved, so did she. Disappearing with a swirl of light, she rematerialized behind him, not letting up on her assault for a second.

Feeling trapped, Noctis automatically called to he Crystal to help, forgetting for a moment it was no longer there to help him. But...a different power came to his aid. As he had initially hoped to do, Noctis disappeared from where he had been standing. Tendrils of light and transparent shards swirled around him as the new fountain of power came to life within him. Chinoka had come to his assistance. His feet landed on solid ground again, this time away from Niveus. Despite the exhilaration that flowed through him for having the full range of his powers back, his outlook still remained grim. Winning was still something that did not feel right.

Biting his lower lip, Noctis held out his hand. Within a second, his sword returned to his grasp, and once again he was whole. Now that he had his weapon, he and Niveus were evenly matched. His blade tight in his grasp, Noctis called upon the teleportation power again. He reappeared behind Niveus, and for the first time in the fight, she was the one caught off-guard. She twirled around and brought her weapon up in time to block his strike. Though the deflect did not mean much, for his attack had no heart or will behind it. It was a weak attack, and he knew it.

Niveus jumped back, reevaluating the best strategy for her to now employ. Her glowing eyes remained locked on Noctis, showing no hint of her emotional state, if she even had one. Noctis called out for her to stop again, hoping that if he somehow reached through to her, if she somehow heard him, all would return to normal. That had yet to happen, and the hope he had of it actually working began to grow thin.

A crackling noise filled the air. When Noctis looked up, he barely managed to dodge the barrage of crystalline shards that shot down towards him. He breathed harder, not having expected such an attack. When he had the Crystal's power under his control, Noctis always used the same basic moves that he and the other Protectors knew about, but how many more spells and abilities the Crystal had under its power, he did not know.

The power now within him begged to be used. It was slightly different than what he had grown accustomed to throughout all his life. It yearned to be used to its fullest, as though it would find something for itself by doing so. Noctis wondered what new powers he might have been endowed with thanks to Chinoka. When Niveus rushed for him, he managed to discover a new one. As he held up his hand, a crystal barrier formed before him, blocking Niveus' assault. It shimmered in the light before shattering, having only been a temporary shield.

Niveus appeared behind him and Noctis rolled out of the way, only to be met by her lone weapon. His sword clashed against it in a parry, easily moving the crystal form to the side before Niveus appeared behind it to add her strength to it. He grunted, finding her physical prowess much stronger than before. With another failed attempt to bring her to her senses, Noctis teleported himself away to a safer distance.

Defend was now all he could bring himself to do. Each attack he dodged. Each spell he countered, still discovering new abilities created from his powers as well as hers. But each time he parried or dodged, she was right there to counter it again, keeping him much more pressured than he would have liked.

His physical strength began to wane. Even with Chinoka's gift aiding him, his body could only take so much. Moves began to slow. It was getting harder and harder for him to continue avoiding Niveus' attacks, and his new crystal shield lasted for a shorter and shorter amount of time whenever he conjured it.

When Niveus appeared right in front of him again, the Prince barely had time to form the shield as a last-minute defence to block her attack. Her weapon came into contact with the shield, and it shattered without barely any resistance. From the combined force of its shattering and Niveus' attack, Noctis tumbled back against the ground. Though he could not feel any physical pain, thanks to Chinoka, he knew his body was taking a lot of damage.

He gripped his sword tight, using it to help prop him up off the ground. Defending was getting the fight no where. Stalling was not helping Niveus. And, if events continued down their current path, he would soon lose. Looking up, he tried to locate where she was. There was no sign of her transformed body.

“Niveus?” he called out, his voice hoarse. No reply. “Niveus... Please...” Closing his eyes, he stretched out his senses, hoping to pick up the trace of where his Crystal was now located. If he found her, he knew he would have to put all his remaining strength into ending the fight. To save her...to save their Crystal from this cruel fate, he had to find it within himself to stop Niveus. No matter what.

His eyes opened and he whirled around. Niveus was now behind him.

“Niveus,  _ don't _ !” Noctis begged one final time. His voice echoed throughout the room, yet still it did not reach her. Sword held tight, for he could not lose it or falter for a second, he sliced it through the air towards her. When he turned around, he barely caught a glimpse of the crystal weapon diving straight for his chest. He could not parry. He could not dodge. He could not vanish away. None of those options would end this the way he needed. Their attacks continued unhindered towards each other, when...

Air rushed out of his lungs as he felt the weapon pierce through the body with nearly no resistance. His being froze, no longer able to move. Something dripped onto his hands, warm and with the hint of copper in its scent. Noctis tried to breathe in, but even that simple action so engraved into every being's life was now difficult to for him to successfully complete. A single breath for air drained what strength he had left in him.

His body began to shake, the small shivers starting in his hands and then working their way through his entire body. It became hard to stand as the power he had been lent faded from him. Had he completed Chinoka's task, or had he failed? Either way, her strength ebbed out of him, leaving him hollow and void of all feeling once again. His sword felt so heavy now, did he have to keep holding it? Pain then seeped through his body, making him forget about the loss of his new-found power. It burned over and through him, the origin of it having started somewhere in his chest. Behind the wave of pain was only cold numbness similar to the lifelessness that had been Erebus. He breathed in another painful breath, and the numbness spread even faster, not halting until it consumed his entire body.

A weapon clattered against the ground, no longer capable of behind held. The noise from it was muffled and seemed distant, as though it had fallen dozens of feet away from the Prince. His mind was being drawn out of the realm where his body remained. It grew harder and harder for him to focus on anything that lay in his field of vision. Lines of reality were becoming blurred. It hurt to focus. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to do anything. But that hurt did not linger for long. The numbness that was coursing through him erased all pain, leaving nothingness in its wake.

Cold.

Everything was so cold.

There was nothing to bring him the warmth of hope.

Was this what the end felt like?

 


	23. Underworld

Nothing felt real to him any more. His head heavy, Noctis somehow managed to gaze at the ceiling, trying to focus on the intricate carvings to help ground himself back in the world around him. The numbness from shock that had temporarily paralysed him faded away, allowing him to fully comprehend the atrocity he had committed.

His hands ached from holding the hilt of his sword so tightly. When he loosened his grip, blood rushed back into them, causing his palm and fingers to sting from all the pins and needles prickling across his skin. Hearing returned and he could now distinguish the faint breathing that was not his own. It grew weaker with each breath beside his head. The little bit that tickled his skin was colder than he expected. Not wanting to face what he had done, Noctis closed his eyes tight, hoping it would fade away like a bad dream.

Before his strength failed him, Noctis wrenched his blade out and stumbled back. Feeling heavier than normal, the end of it fell to the floor, keeping him from moving anywhere else as long as he held the sword. He made sure to keep his eyes closed tight, not wanting to look at the proof of what he had done that now stained the blade. It was a dream, it had to be. None of this could be real.

The light thud of a body collapsing to the floor reached his ears. His eyes snapped open. There was Niveus, her body now sprawled on the ground. His body shook, unable to comprehend seeing the truth of what he had done to her. It was a bluff. Within a second she would be back on her feet and either fight him or, he hoped, be her normal self. Noctis held his breath in wait. Still she did not move. The Prince found himself nearly choking, no longer able to move.

Her transformed body shimmered, a wave of light coursing over her. The crystalline material that had altered her body now flaked away, piece by piece. Glinting as they rose off of her, the flakes of crystal dispersing in the air. Noctis found himself able to breathe again when he saw her normal skin and hair no longer covered by that substance. She was back to the way she had been, all save for her clothes. Simple yet elegant, a white dress draped over her body and floor, pale-blue crystals worked into its design. The only thing that ruined it was the crimson blood that began to stain the fabric. Blood that  _ he _ had drawn from her.

Movement. Niveus stirred slightly, groaning in protest to the pain. Noctis gasped and dropped his sword, nearly flinging it across the room instead, as he hurried to her side. His legs weak, he practically fell to his knees beside her. Opening his mouth to speak, no words made it past his throat. There was so much he wanted to say, yet was unable to do so. Making sure he was gentle, Noctis gripped onto her and helped to turn Niveus over.

A glint of light caught his eye. Hanging around her neck was a row of crystals. They looked as much a part of her as her features, her hair, or limbs. They glowed, pulsating lightly like a faint heartbeat. As he studied them, he noted something else that had changed about her: the scars that had once covered her entire body were fainter now. Still present, but almost invisible, appearing to be ancient memories rather than fresh ones. Sighing in despair, he finally looked to her face.

Eyelids opened to reveal pale, crystal-blue orbs staring at him. They were no longer the hauntingly pale eyes that had disturbed him back when they first met. These were soft and caring. Everything about her looked healthier. It was a cruel irony to see her looking so alive when so close to death. Her brief smile was replaced by a wince of pain, and she hissed slightly as her body tensed.

“I never thought...it would hurt this much...” she breathed, trying to hold back the pain that coursed through her body.

Noctis put a hand on the wound he had caused. As much as he tried to call out, Chinoka would not answer him. If he could just have the ability to heal her, if he could just find a way to save her, he could put an end to the pain he had created. But Mother Nature would not respond. Her power that had been flowing through him was now completely gone. Even with Niveus right before him, in his arms, he could not use the power of his Crystal. There was no way for him to save her.

“Niveus! No...!” he choked, at last finding his voice. It was weak and hoarse, and he swallowed in attempt to bring some moisture back to his throat. He glance down to her wound, barely able to look at it longer than a second. More pressure was applied to it. Maybe if his friends got here soon enough, they would be able to save her. That thought did not erase the guilt that filled every inch of his body. “This is my fault... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...”

Her hand was placed over his. Though her grip was weak, she held on as strong as she could to reassure him. Despite the pain and her seeping strength, she smiled at him. “Why are you sad...?” As she tried to mask a wince, Niveus shook her head lightly. “There's...there's nothing to be sad about. I'm glad. I'm glad I got to see the world... I'm glad I got to  _ live _ ... I'm glad...” Noctis gasped lightly when her free hand came up and rested on his cheek. It was cold now, colder than he ever remembered her being. As much as it made him happy to feel her touch, it made him just as sad. “I'm glad...I actually got to meet you... There's... _ nothing _ for you to apologize for.” Her hand fell from his face, and he took it in his grasp.

“No! Niveus!” Her eyes having closed for a moment, he shook her lightly. Panic rushed through him. “Hang in there! You hear me? Don't you give up on me now!”

Eyes opened partially and he found himself able to relax, if only slightly. Rather than a smile, she frowned, lines of regret pulling down the corners of her mouth. “I'm afraid...I can't do that, Noctis.” He shook his head frantically, not wanting to believe her. The Prince held onto her hand tighter as though it would keep her in this world. “You see...I have to return...to how I'm supposed to be. I'm...not meant to stay like this...after all...” Her eyes glanced down and Noctis followed her gaze.

A sharp gasp escaped him when he saw the lower half of her body turning to crystal. Pale and white, fragments of her crystallized body broke off and floated into the air. The transformation slowly crept up her body. More and more of her was altered, and more and more of her disappeared.

“ _ No _ !” Reaching down, Noctis tried to push back the crystal substance, scrape it off, block its advance, anything. No matter how much he protested and tried to find some way to remove the material, he could not stop her transformation. Breathing hard, he looked back at her with pleading eyes. “No... Please...  _ Please don't go _ ...” He choked as he saw the transformation starting from her head as well. Every inch of her was receding, leaving nothing but the crystal shards that floated up into the air. “Niv... Don't leave me...”

Through it all, through the sadness and pain, she managed to laugh weakly and smile once again. Her eyes glazed over with wetness as she blinked to hold back her tears. Before he could wipe away the droplets of water that managed to trickle down her skin, they hardened into tiny crystals and floated up to join the rest. “Silly...” she murmured. Niveus reached up and gently touched his cheek again with her hand that was becoming crystal right before his eyes. It was...actually warm to the touch now. “I am...not leaving your side... I'm still with you... No matter what...becomes of me...I will... _ always _ be...your Niveus... Noct... Thank...you...”

And she said no more.

A silent cry of protest and anguish escaped Noctis. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled what remained of her body into a tight embrace. He had to hold on; he could not let her go. He could feel her breaking apart in his own hands, no matter how hard he tried to keep her together. What was left of Niveus soon dispersed. Completely turning into crystal, she shattered in his hold, causing the Prince to nearly fall over. Noctis brought his gaze up to see all the shards floating around him. He tried to grasp them, to bring them back together somehow, but they passed right through his hands every time, showing no sign that he had even so much as grazed them with his fingers.

Up and up the shards floated, forming into a small collective mass in the air. Their new form shone bright, so bright that Noctis had to wince as he studied it. He rose. When all of the shards were collected, the small mass began to shrink even more, its light growing fainter. Noctis gasped and reached up to it, despite it being much too far for him to even be able to touch. The new crystal flashed out of existence with a blink of light. He stared where it had been, his mouth hanging open, no longer certain of how he should proceed. For once in his life, he had chosen his own will over that of his Crystal's, and he had to live with where it brought him.

Just before he hung his head, a shock wave of light shot through the air, originating from where the shards had gathered. Nearly as bright as day, Noctis brought up his arms to shield his gaze. So bright. He felt temporarily blinded by the shining event. When it became possible for him to see again, he tentatively unveiled his sight, and saw dozens of little specs of light floating down. Automatically, he held out his hands to catch the specs that were like glowing snowflakes. They were rather beautiful, and even warm to the touch as they passed through his hands. The sight could not help but make him smile, a sad one, but still a smile. A small glimmer of beauty at the end was fitting for Niveus.

His moment of tranquillity was cut to an end as pain wracked through his body. Noctis yelled as he fell to his knees, the pain too much for him to withstand. He yelled and yelled some more. Even when his throat became torn and hoarse, he still yelled until his voice was no more. Burning hot daggers seared into him, attacking both his mind and body alike. Behind the sharp bodiless weapons that assaulted him was a great power. The power rushed into him, readying itself for his use. He knew that strength, that feeling, that consciousness—it was that of his Crystal, of Niveus. Never had he felt such an unblocked torrent of the power. Such raw strength... He had always suspected he and the other Protectors only ever got a fraction of the Crystal's true potential, he just never expected how much potential there truly was. It was too much for his mortal body to take in all at once, hence the blinding pain that came with the powerful gift.

His cry long since faded away, Noctis fell to the ground and slipped into the land of unconsciousness.

 

_ “...oct. ...Noctis!” A distant voice called out to him through the murky haze that clouded his mind. “Noct! Wake up!” The familiar voice grabbed onto him and pulled him through the forgotten sea of dreams that he was swimming through. He needed to reach the shore. “ _ Yo _! Princey Boy!” Faster and faster he crossed the ocean, the tides of confusion flowing back out. “He  _ is _ alive, right? Maybe I should smack him?” _

_ Noctis' feet touched the solid warm shores. _

“No...hitting...” he grumbled out into the floor. The air he had barely had time to breathe back in was knocked out of him as he was pulled up into a cross between a headlock and a hug. His head began to spin more now than it had been before he passed out. Before he yet again slipped into the land of unconsciousness from the lack of oxygen, he was pried free from his friend's grip. Stumbling forward, Noctis opened his eyes just enough to distinguish the floor of the would-be throne room he was still in.

“Don't go  _ killing _ him the second he comes-to!” shouted Gladiolus from behind. It was comforting to hear the voices of his friends again. Now he knew for certain they were safe. Battered, certainly, but alive.

Noctis placed his hands on his head, pressing back the light headache that lingered on in his mind. It was then he realized that his headache was now the only pain that troubled him. He brought his hands down and flexed them, noting the way they now felt. Running his hands hands over his body, he realized that there were no more wounds inflicting him. The weariness that had plagued him was also gone. Refreshed and complete was how he now felt.

“Noct, what happened to Creon? How did you defeat him?” questioned Ignis.

Drawn from his miraculous recovery, Noctis looked up and saw the dead body of Creon—the man he had thought to be the true mastermind all this time. Creon's body remained where Lysander had kicked it. Pale and lifeless, it held no more purpose. Noctis could still hardly believe that Lysander had brought about that betrayal. While he had not known the green-haired man, it still felt so sudden. During the time he and his friends had been playing their game of chase, Creon and his followers had been playing their own little game, and Lysander had been the one to beat them all.

“Where's Niv? Did you find out where she is?” asked Prompto before Noctis had even a second to respond to the first query. Noctis felt his throat close up tight. They had not been there. They had not seen what he had seen. They still thought Niveus to be waiting for them. Before opening his mouth to answer, his words got caught. Retelling it would be like admitting she was truly gone. Biting on his lower lip, Noctis turned to face his friends; they needed to know the truth, no matter how hard it was for him to say it.

“ _ Whoa _ !” cried Prompto, backpedalling as fast as his feet would move. Noctis blinked as his blond friend stared at him in fright. When he looked to his other friends, he saw that they too had similar expressions across their visages. Prompto was scared, Gladiolus was worried and dubious, while Ignis was concerned yet slightly curious.

Greatly confused by his friends' reactions, Noctis' brow knotted together. What was wrong with him? Looking down, he studied what he could see of his body, twisting around as far as he could to get a better view. There was nothing odd; not even the blood that had stained his clothes remained.

“Your  _ eyes _ !” gasped the blond, finally managing to continue. Noctis looked up, causing his friend to shirk away some more as though Noctis would suddenly hurt them all. “What the hell's wrong with your eyes?!”

Noctis placed a hand over one. They did not feel any different to him. Everything was the same, if not a little better. Wanting to know just what it was that had Prompto so upset, the Prince looked around for anything that could be used as a mirror. In the would-be throne room, only the giant windows would be able to provide just enough reflection. Hurrying over to the closest pane of glass, Noctis moved until he caught the light just right in the window so that he could see himself.

Even the sight of his own reflection startled Noctis. Stumbling back in surprise, he swallowed nervously before steadying his nerves and returned to the pane of glass. Despite the low quality of the reflection, it was still easy to see what it was that had set all of them off. His eyes were no longer their normal blue, nor even the red that he and his friemds had grown accustomed to seeing over the years whenever he used his powers. Instead, his eyes glowed a pale blue. Now pupil-less and bright, he could fully understand why his friends had seemed so shock. It was unnatural to see those eyes on him. They were just like Niveus' had been while her body had been turned into a complete crystal.

“This...” muttered the Prince, running a hand down his face. “This must be because of the full power...”

“What? What full power? Noctis. What happened?”

Noctis let his hand fall numbly back to his side. With a heavy sigh, he turned around to face his friends. As much as he did not want to relive what had happened so soon, his friends deserved to know the truth. His throat becoming dry, Noctis explained all that had occurred since he stepped into the room. He told them of Creon, of Lysander's betrayal, of his fight with Niveus, and her final transformation.

His three friends stared at Noctis, their expressions blank.

“She's...she's gone...?” whispered Prompto. He clenched his hands tight and shook his head vehemently. “That can't be! She can't be gone! Not like that!” He ceased to yell in protest and quieted down. “We didn't even get to say goodbye...”

“Now what?” questioned Ignis. Noctis looked up to his bespectacled friend, surprised by how hard it was for even Ignis to keep his voice steady. “We have the completed Crystal—are we going to return to Lucis?”

Noctis stared out the window, the longing to return home creeping back over him. They had completed what they were set out to do: restore the Crystal. In all actuality, they should return to Lucis, and yet...

His eyes caught something glinting on the ground, back where he had been moments ago. His previous train of thought derailed, Noctis returned to the area where the glinting object rested. It glinted brighter the closer he drew, reacting to his presence. When he knelt down, he gasped lightly once he saw clearly what it was: Niveus' necklace. He stared at in surprise; hers had been destroyed back in the cave, and yet here it was before him. Reaching out, he half expected his hand to pass through it like the shards that Niveus had become. Instead it was solid, and warm to the touch. Grasping it tightly in his hold, Noctis brought it close to him. It was his only link to her now.

Expression hardening, he looked back to his friends. “We can't,” answered Noctis. “Whether we're here or in Lucis, it would make no difference. Don't you remember? Lysander wants to  _ consume _ this world into the Underworld! We have to stop him!”

“And how would we accomplish that?” Ignis was not frustrated by Noctis' proposal, he was simply being realistic. Lysander had the power of The Light at his command, and if the fal'Cie and their Crystals could not win against that force the first time, what hope did they have now? Even thinking about trying to stop the crazed man seemed bleak and hopeless. With their limited strength, they would be no match against Lysander. “For a moment, say that we could stop him. How are we supposed to get to the Underworld?”

At that, Noctis looked back up. That, at least, he had an answer for. His eyes shifted over to the far wall where Niveus had originally been. “We get there the same way he did: by opening the Gates.” As his friends questioned further in bafflement, Noctis headed towards the far wall. He had to open the Gates for he and his friends to pass through.

Closing his eyes, Noctis reached for the new wealth of power within him. It coursed through him, eager to be of help. With nothing more than a minor thought, it rose to his will and sought to fulfill his command. The full power of the Crystal flowed out and formed before him. Just like before, the Gates began to open.

His friends yelled in surprise to the rumbling. Louder and louder the bells tolled, reverberating deep within all of them. Violent winds lashed out as the vortex of power split apart, allowing the Gates to form. His hands dropping, Noctis felt a portion of the power sapped from him. To open the Gates of the Underworld took a great deal of strength.

“You mean we gotta go  _ through _ that thing?!” shouted Prompto over the din. Noctis' friends joined his side slowly, daunted by the sight before them. Ribbons of light coiled around the friends before slipping past. New souls were within their grasp, and they itched to draw them in to the world that lay beyond.

“You don't...but I do.”

“Oh no, we're not going through this again! You're not getting rid of us  _ that _ easily, remember?”

Chuckling lightly, Noctis looked over his shoulder and nodded to his friends. To the very depths of the Underworld itself, they were with him. The Prince then looked back to the amber gateway that lay before them. Designs danced in the glowing light around the massive portal, fading in and out of existence in different places. A gateway to a different realm, one that housed the souls of the dead. Noctis swallowed, trying to push aside his nervousness. Even he was scared by what lay beyond. He had been in that realm once before, and now he had to return with no knowledge of how to find his way back to the land of the living.

Clenching his teeth, Noctis started for the gateway. Bells tolled louder the closer he got, the winds lashing around him and his friends. The ribbons of light that had previously toyed with the idea of taking them now coiled tightly around their limbs and torsos, pulling them closer to the gates.

As he neared, a memory echoed in Noctis' head:

_ “If you head down this path, only death awaits you. Far to the east is where you will reach your end. Gates will open, beckoning you to the land that lies in the shadow of this one. Souls of the past will rise to your presence.” _

Madame Akemi's fortune was finally coming true. When they had been sent to Erebus instead of the Underworld back in Velens, Noctis had nearly forgotten the fortune teller's prediction. Closing his eyes, Noctis accepted his fate and allowed the land of the dead to consume him.

 

* * *

 

Everything was only slightly different. Colours were odd shades, some desaturated, and some off-hue. Plants were foreign as well, some looking like the life back home, but twisted in odd ways. An off-tone sun cast uncomfortable rays across the unfamiliar land. It was like their world, and yet not. The land of the dead, so oddly seeming full of life, was an imperfect version of their own.

The sights unsettled Noctis. He was not sure how to process all that they saw. Even the people, the souls of those who were dead, appeared different. While still human in form, their skin was paler and held a faint glow when they walked through the off-sunlight. Their clothes were odd as well, consisting of grayer tones, creating colours that he had never before seen. Foreign designs and runes, akin to those that had appeared around the gateway, were embroidered over various areas of the clothing, namely any cloaks that were worn.

Noctis and his friends were noticed by the denizens of the Underworld, and they made certain to avoid the new arrivals. They slowed as they passed by the friends, still curious, and studied the living souls. It was only when their gazes dared to meet Noctis' that they looked away and continued on. Feeling self-conscious, he clamped a hand over an eye and cast his gaze down. The looks he got made him feel unwanted here; the land of the dead was no place for the living.

“Now that we're here,” started Prompto, moving closer to the others in almost fear of the dead souls. “Where should we go?”

Glancing around, Noctis could not help but wonder the same thing. It was not like when he could sense the Crystal Shards and find a way to locate them. When he closed his eyes in attempts to sense for Lysander's position, he felt nothing. Even when he realized he needed to listen to the waves of The light, there was still nothing for him to follow. The Light was foreign and hard for him to understand, like it spoke a language he had never heard before. It was actually much more comforting than he thought it would be. The soft almost chime-like voice of The Light soothed his troubled soul, trying to welcome him to the unfamiliar land once again.

Now being in the Underworld tickled his memories. It was like trying to remember a dream within a dream, but he could slowly start to pick out distant details he had learned from his last time here. They whispered at him, that foreign voice sounding more and more familiar. The place called to him, like a lost child that had just returned home.

“Lysander's after Etro. If we find the Goddess, we'll find him,” answered Noctis after a moment's thought. Whether they reached the Goddess' domain before or after Lysander, they would soon find out. For now, at least, all seemed calmed in the Underworld (though for all they knew of the place, it could be in turmoil right now), meaning they still had time to defend the Goddess.

“Okay, great. That sounds fine with me. Only one  _ itty-bitty _ problem with that:  _ where is Etro _ ?”

It was Ignis who answered before Noctis even had time to come up with a reasonable response: “Legends say that Etro is everywhere in the Underworld. It his her domain. The rules that apply to our world do not apply here; she can be anywhere and everywhere any time she desires.” The bespectacled man's expression became grim. “Locating her may be very simple, or very difficult.”

Finally deciding that they had no real path to travel yet, Noctis and his friends started their search for the Goddess. Wherever she was, she was not here. The souls of the dead gave them plenty of room wherever they moved. However, despite the avoidance the denizens of the Underworld sought, the mass of souls trailed the group of the living. Fear kept them at bay, but curiosity drew them closer.

One soul in particular dared to near the friends as they travelled through the Underworld.

“What are you doing here...?” echoed a familiar voice. Noctis knew the owner of that voice. The last time he heard it was when they had dealt with dead souls while in the world of the living.

Turning around, Noctis stared at the violet-haired man. Still donned in his uniform, he now wore a cloak that was embroidered with the same designs that everyone else wore. His skin was just like all the other souls that now lived in the underworld, pale and with a slight glow. But, despite his changes, there was no mistaking the soldier.

“Maero!” gasped Noctis, surprised to see the violet-haired man again in such a place. “Why are you here?”

He stopped and arched an eyebrow at the Prince. “I'm the one who is dead. I  _ belong _ here.” Maero grinned slightly, not shying away once he fully met Noctis' gaze. Compared to he other dead souls, he appeared relieved to see the glowing eyes. “I must say, seeing the power of the fal'Cie alive gladdens me greatly. When Velens was overrun, we thought the last of the fal'Cie would be killed. Now I know...they're not completely gone after all.” His smiled faded away. “But, really now, what brings you here? The living do not normally come here, and now here you are just after that other arrival.”

Noctis felt his throat tighten. “Lysander.”

“You know that man? Is he why you are here?”

“Where is he?” demanded Noctis, his tone coming off harsher than he intended. “Where did Lysander go? Do you have any idea?” Only then did the Prince finally take another breath.

Maero's expression became grim and hardened. The thought of that man, though he could not have known of him for very long, already sickened the dead soldier. “That blasted man uses The Light like those who murdered the fal'Cie before him. Bending it to his twisted will. Corrupting it to his foul purposes. I may not hold any love for The Light still, but I know better now; I know it should not be used in the manner he controls it.” Motioning for them to follow, Maero started off through the Underworld. The other dead beings that remained around them still trailed at a safe distance, forever keeping a ring of souls around the group of companions. “It is not hard to follow the befouled trail of that man. His corruption stains everything he comes by in this place, though you may be unable to see it.”

“Has he reached the Goddess yet?” asked the Prince, keeping by Maero's side.

The violet-haired man's eyes widened, his pace faltering for a moment. “Goddess Etro? Why would he seek her out? Why has he come all this way, still alive, to find her?”

“Because he means to kill her.”

Maero's lips thinned as pain flashed across his face. “It's just like back then... It's just like when they were coming for the fal'Cie. Only now he seeks to destroy that who  _ gives _ him his power.” At last, he shook his head. “No, he has not found the soul of the Goddess yet. Were he to harm her in any way, all of us would know immediately. I can hear her voice, feel her presence, even now.”

Relieved, Noctis fell back into silence once again. The foreign scenery of the Underworld drifted past them, landscapes rolling from one to the next right before their eyes. It was as though the land was in constant flux, ever changing. Nothing was bound to stay in one form like it did in their world. At times it almost looked like home, but the odd colours and light remained. Here and there, fragments of dusk would rise up from the land, floating up and elsewhere. Maero explained to the extent of his knowledge that it was because this area of the Underworld forever had to accommodate to the new souls that now had to call it home.

The farther they travelled, the more souls came to watch them. When Noctis dared focus on them, he could have sworn it was an entire nation's worth of beings that now followed them. The endless sea of faces, some seeming almost familiar, disturbed him. He just wanted them to go away. He did not want the souls of the past rising to his presence. He did not want to think that, if they failed, everyone he knew, everyone in their world, would become like them before the time fate had dictated. His world would become like this—just that bit off-normal so that it could no longer be called home. A place where time held no meaning, where there was no living and no dying. Everyone and everything would simple... _ be _ .

It scared him. It scared him more than he wanted to admit.

“This is it,” announced Maero, slowing down. The mass of people that had been in front of them, still at a distance, began to part to the sides. Past them, a wide river now came into view. Like everything else about the Underworld, it was off-colour and simply did not quite resemble regular water. Viscous, it flowed more like liquid fire than water. It moved on by, gnawing at the river's edge, threatening to consume more into its depths. At the river's edge rested a pier. Sturdy, the pier managed with withstand the strange fluid that nearly ate away at the posts like acid. “From here, you can be taken to where Lysander went.”

“How is  _ that _ meant to get us to where Lysander is?” questioned Prompto, scratching his head. “Are we going for a swim?”

“Take this.” Drawn from studying the river and the pier, Noctis looked down to what was placed in his hand. Glinting shards of dusk had been pressed into his palm by Maero. They caught the unnatural light and sparkled like tiny gems. “Use it to pay your way. They ferryman will come and take you down the river.”

“You...you're not coming with us...?” asked Noctis, looking up from the dusk gems. He clutched them tightly, not wanting to lose them before they were needed.

Maero smiled softly and shook his head. His gaze became distant as he looked off towards the ever-setting sun, specs of painted clouds dotting the sky before it. “My journey here has not yet ended. I may be dead, but there's still a path I must follow to my final resting place. That river is not for me. It is time for us to part ways again.” Laughing slightly, the dead soldier nodded to the Prince. “I must thank you again, Noctis. Not only did you release me and my people from our twisted fate and start us on our journey towards the green and golden fields, but you also help to uphold our duty; you still protect the legacy of the fal'Cie.” Noctis' hand instinctively went to the pouch where he had stored Niveus' necklace. She still needed protecting. “Farewell, all of you. Maybe, some day, we will see each other again on the distant shores of the Hallowed Isles.

A smile still lingering on his face, Maero watched Noctis and his friends head towards the pier. Even before they reached the end, a boat of a less-than-elegant design slowed to a stop at the pier. A carved dragon's head adorned the front, everything about it emanating menace, hatred and torment. It teetered back and forth in the river of liquid fire, the black tattered sail hanging uselessly down. While the boat itself was ominous, it was nothing compared to the ferryman that stood at its stern.

Robes of pure shadow kept the figure of the ferryman cloaked in eternal darkness. The opening of his hood only faded into nothingness. There was no hint of any face beneath the multitude of shadows. Not even the hands that gripped the oar could be seen under the clouds of black. He towered well over a full head in height above even Gladiolus. Noctis only clenched the dusk gems tightly in his hand as he stared at the ferryman, hesitant to find out where it was this boat led.

Wherever its destination was, Lysander was there as well. Noctis had to remind himself of their purpose in the Underworld before he found the courage to take that first step onto the teetering boat. The wood groaned beneath his feet, not at all used to the weight of the living. For a moment, the Prince wondered if it would even be able to take them to its destination without breaking apart.

A cold breath rattled out, chilling the air around him and his friends. The ferryman turned his hooded head to (Noctis assumed) gaze at his passengers. Despite there being no eyes boring into his, Noctis felt himself freeze up as long as the ferryman held the Prince within his sight. With a nudge from one of his friends, Noctis stumbled towards the stern, nearly toppling over on the swaying boat. Even after that, all he could do was stare at the void that was the ferryman's face.

Noctis then noticed an outstretched skeletal hand. The bones were ancient, no skin, flesh, or tendons remaining to hold the different pieces together. All that kept it from falling apart were the tendrils of darkness coursing over it. No longer enthralled by the ferryman's void, Noctis managed to hand over the dusk gems, and hoped Maero had given him the right amount for their passage. The ferryman must have been content, for he stashed away the payment, and slipped his hand back onto the oar before pushing off away from the pier.

Having no desire at all to remain near the ferryman, Noctis joined his friends at the prow of the boat. They slowly drifted down the unnatural river of fire, with the ferryman of death as their guide. Only once he was away from the sound of that cold breath could Noctis breathe easy again himself. Gladiolus clapped him on the back for support.

“Well, looks like we might just find Lysander before he reaches Etro after all,” commented their scarred friend. Noctis numbly nodded in agreement. Already, he did not like what may be lying in wait for them when they caught up to the crazed man. If the river, the boat, and the ferryman were of any hint, then it would be nothing good.

Noctis looked over his shoulder as they continued drifting down. He could still see the souls of the dead that had gathered around them waiting by the pier. The many faces continued to watch the living souls, Maero at the front, until they were completely gone from sight. But, the further they travelled down the river, the more Noctis wished they could return to the unnatural land and the curious souls, for already their surroundings began to shift for the worse.

Light from the ever-setting sun slowly switched to a more recognizable shade of red. The river before them became like blood, spurts of fire bubbling up from beneath the surface. The land beyond the shores grew jagged and unwelcoming to anyone who dared walk across it. Even the sky gained a layer of overcast, tinting everything familiar and unfamiliar shades of red alike. Though Noctis knew no name for the shades he had never seen before, or even knew to possibly exist, he knew the feelings they gave him just by looking at the colours: pain, torment, torture, and more. They were not colours exactly, but rather the emotions of the land they travelled through.

“What's in the...uh...water?” asked Prompto, holding onto the edge of the boat and peering far over the side. The rest joined his side and looked into the unnatural water, trying to see what lay beneath the surface that had caught the blond's attention. “There!” Quickly, Prompto pointed to what he saw before it slipped past them. Eery green lights shimmered beneath the waves. At first, there was only the odd one that passed by, but the further they travelled, the more they saw. The oddest thing about them, noted Noctis, was that the lights were always in pairs of two.

“ _ Gyah _ !”

Prompto thrust himself back away from the edge, the others not far behind. He panted hard, his heart racing from what he had seen.

“That was a  _ face _ !” he panted, gripping his chest tightly. “All these lights... They're  _ eyes _ !”

“Theeeeeeeyyy are the cuuuuuuursed ones that make up the Riiiveeeeeeerrr of Soooooooouuuuuls,” rasped a voice from behind. Rather than nearly jumping in fear, Noctis felt himself freeze in place once again. The voice of the ferryman chilled him to his bones, making it feel as though death had just crawled up his spine. Even though they were already in the Underworld, they could still die and remain here forever. That chilling voice only reminded the Prince of that fact.

“Cursed ones?” repeated Ignis, the only one of them able to regain his voice. But even the bespectacled man was now frightened by the rattling voice of death.

“Theeeeeeyyy cannot travel throooooouuuuugh the Underworld like the ooooootheeers, noooooor are they sent to eeeeennddless toooooormeeeent like the soooooouuuuls of the daaaaamned.”

“Where do the damned souls go?” No matter how long Ignis waited for an answer, the ferryman did not respond in the bone-chilling death rattle of a voice. Released from his frozen grip of fear, Noctis peered back over the edge of the boat. Faces of the cursed souls drifted by, each becoming more and more defined. Noctis stared at the the many different faces, some looking more familiar to him than he would like.

Cries of torment could be heard in the distance. The jagged landscape around them grew even more menacing. Skeletons lay strewn over some of the sharp rocks, the souls no longer able to withstand the torture inflicted upon them. Some bodies, still holding more shred of their former human selves other than just bones, moved only slightly, their hold on the world around them fading. A loud  _ boom _ cracked through the air before rumbling away. Storm clouds gathered over head, with lightning of pure magic clashing from the sky to the ground.

The boat finally came to a stop before a new pier. Unlike the stone pier they had set-off from, this one was constructed from rather measly planks of wood. Screams of pain grew louder and more persistent. Noctis swallowed nervously. Their new stop was very different from the last. He glanced back at the ferryman, who remained as still as a statue, using the oar to keep them in place. At the moment, he was not certain where was better for them: remaining on the boat, or the tormented land before them.

A deathly rattle filled the air, and Noctis felt the cold chill surround him. Tormented land it was. Before the chill could completely consume him, Noctis scrambled off the teetering boat, his friends right on his heels for no one wished to remain on the boat with the ferryman for longer than was needed.

Once they were off the boat, the ferryman pushed away, as though he himself did not want to remain in the tormented land any longer than needed. The coldness that had been lingering around them faded away with the ferryman, leaving a dry heat of of pain and suffering in its wake.

Noctis stared up at the unnatural storm above them. Putrid colours swirled together, clashing and mixing violently as bright flashes of magic danced across the clouds like lightning, with the odd one crashing into the ground, and the rumbles slightly drowning out the sounds from the tormented souls that still wailed in the distance.

Swallowing nervously, Noctis started down the faint trail of a path through the treacherous terrain. Dead souls littered the sides here, just like the shores. What one had to do in life to wind up here, he could only wonder. The farther they travelled, the quieter it got. Even though the storm still raged on overhead, the screams and wails died down. They wondered why until they saw the reason:

Lysander.

Standing at the end of the path, the green-haired man held his arms outstretched. Trails of mist, each with a glowing center, flowed towards him before he consumed them into him. Noctis knew what the trails of mist were: souls of tormented ones who had been imprisoned here.

“Ah, now I must say that this is a surprise. I never expected you to come chasing after me.” Lowering his arms, Lysander turned around and smirked at the companions. His gaze met Noctis' glowing eyes and he snorted in amusement. “That explains how you made it here without slaughtering so many people. Your precious Crystal went back to you after all. How sweet. You were able to reunite with it before you all join the souls in the Underworld permanently. But now that reunion will come to an end.”

Raising a hand, ribbons of light began to whirl around Lysander. Across the ground grew a glowing design, spreading out farther with each second. The lines of the design erupted, light shooting up from them and into the stormy sky above. There was a moment of silence before the combined scream of hundreds of tormented souls split the air. The earth rumbled and cracked, large fissures spreading out. Noctis and his friends scrambled back to avoid being sucked into whatever it was that lay below.

Up from the depths clawed dozens of viscous shadowy hands. Bodies scrambled after, rising up and forming a single mass. It grew in size until it towered above them, nearly as high as an Obruo. Chains wrapped around it, keeping the creature from completely lashing out already. While all the fused souls could be distinguished—from the arms that clawed the air and the faces that had their mouths gaped open in wails—a main head rested at the top, one eye an empty socket, while the other held a swirling orb of light. Large arms crossed in front of its chest, the gnarly fingers flexing in anticipation.

“ _ What _ is  _ that _ ?” yelled Prompto. The four of them stared up in shock and fear at the grotesque monster.

“Consider this an honour, you fools, for you shall be destroyed by the very power that I had been gathering to kill the Goddess. Finish them! Quickly!” ordered Lysander.

The gaping mouth of the one-eyed monster opened even wider to emit an ear-splitting scream. Light swirled in towards the single glowing eye, more of the mist of souls seeping up through the ground and surroundings being drawn into the socket and filling the hideous beast with strength. Noctis gritted his teeth and drew forth his sword, making sure the Crystal's power would act the second he called upon it. With all of the power rushing through him, there was no longer any more hesitation or delay in being able to use his abilities and more. But even that was nothing now.

Taking a step forward to face the monster, Noctis felt all his strength being wrenched from him. His vision grew darker as his very soul began to leech out of him, being sucked towards the monster's eye. Beside him, he could hear his friends also fall to their hands and knees, the trails of their souls joining his. There was no use, Noctis could no longer even hold his sword. It fell uselessly to the ground beside him, the clatter of his friends' weapons joining in the mix. The battle was over even before it began. What hope did they have against a force that was intended to destroy a Goddess?

“Please...” Noctis whispered, his voice weak. Though his strength was gone, that was not the only power he had. “Help...” He closed his eyes and begged for aid as loudly as he could to the only one he thought would be listening. “Niveus... Help us!”

The power within him erupted. Pale-blue light coursed off of him in waves, acting as a shield and keeping any more of their souls from being drawn to the monster to be devoured. Strength was returned to him, but that was not all that happened. A design of crystal-blue light spread out from where he sat on the ground. It glowed brightly, shards of light flying up from where it engraved the ground. They spiralled up into the air, parting the storm clouds when they pierced the sky.

From the parting in the clouds, a beam of light shone down, illuminating the tormented land and causing the monster to screech in pain. A trumpeting roar filled the air; unlike the screams in torment, this one filled the friends with strength, courage, and hope. It revitalized them, giving them a new fighting chance.

As Noctis grasped his sword and rose, he looked up to the parting in the sky. Down from the light flew a mighty leviathan. The dragonoid creature swooped towards the land between the friends and the monster. Its wings consisted of pure light, shards of it trailing off behind. Growling, the pale dragonoid creature took a defensive position before the monster, protecting Noctis and his friends. Though he did not know exactly what the new beast was, Noctis could tell it was their ally in this dark time.

“Oh my, now this is interesting!” laughed Lysander. “I did not think it possible for you to summon one of the old minions of the fal'Cie. But even that cannot save you now!”

Screeching, the tormented monster reared its head back, the light of its eye growing momentarily brighter. With a snap, it lurched its head forward, releasing all the power that had been gathered in its eye as an attack. The powerful force exploded just where the dragonoid creature had been a moment ago. Beating its ethereal wings, it rose back up into the air. A pure beam of energy shot forth from its mouth, hitting the monster and causing it more torment. But the monster seemed to thrive with the pain inflicted upon it.

Straining at its chains, the monster screamed, the other faces over its body adding to the cry. Rumbling, the ground before them nearly liquified, a pool to the depths below opening up. Tendrils of the liquid material lashed forth, clinging onto the dragonoid creature before it could escape. Roaring in protest, the guardian struggled against the tendrils, but all it did was in vain. The tendrils constricted tighter and tighter until the beast could struggle no more. Roars of agony escaped the dragonoid creature as it was pulled from its place into the sky and beneath the earth.

Noctis stared in shock at where the ground sealed up, keeping their one ray of hope locked away. Rage searing through him, Noctis clenched his hands around his sword tightly. Though it was just an unknown guardian that he had never even heard of let alone see before, it still felt like he had lost part of the Crystal all over again. No longer caring, he rushed towards the monster. He had to trust in his rejuvenated power that he could win this. Prompto's gun fired loudly, dealing no damage, but showing that his friends were also with him, no matter the danger.

Before any of them even neared the tormented fiend, the ground in front of them tore and split open, pieces shooting into the air. Up from the depths came the pale guardian. It roared with renewed  vigour and lashed out at the monster with its deadly claws.

Stumbling back, a cry of joy escaped Noctis as he saw their guardian once again. Though weaker, if its wings were any judge, the beast still had the strength and will to fight. It focused intently on the monster, defending Noctis and his friends with ever fiber in its body.

Noctis managed to tear his eyes away from the two mighty creatures fighting, focusing on what needed to be done. As the battle of the two raged onward, the Prince and his friends scrambled over the broken terrain towards Lysander. Even the green-haired man was caught up in watching the battle unfold before him, not noticing the living souls drawing nearer to him.

Calling upon the Crystal's power, Noctis used the teleportation ability to reappear right behind Lysander. If he could just end this quickly...

Spear met sword in a clash. Skidding back, the Prince tried to regain his footing. “How deceptive of you, Prince Noctis. But even your  parlour tricks will be of little use to you now.” Lysander smirked. Unable to bring his sword up in time, Noctis was kicked back even further. He could hear the souls wailing around him, already starting to welcome him into their midst before he even died.

The shot of a gun rang through the heavy air again. It clanged off of Lysander's spear, ricocheting uselessly into the distance. A cold laugh then escaped the green-haired man. “And what do you worthless little flies hope to even achieve here? You're even more worthless than the Prince!” With a wave of his hand, Lysander deflected Ignis' spell while exerting no visible effort.

As the man was occupied with his friends, Noctis tried for another attack. His blade swung high when Lysander managed to duck in time to avoid the attack. The Prince cried in pain as the sharp end of Lysander's spear dug into his thigh. Slashing again, he managed to push the green-haired man back, giving him a moment enough to use the Crystal's power to temporarily heal him.

Gladiolus came in and swung his axe down. It dug deep into the ground, but came into no contact with any flesh for Lysander had easily dodged. Lysander was swift and powerful, knocking their scarred friend across the jagged ground with a strong back-hand. Prompto tried then to fire another shot, this one much more closed-ranged to allow less time to defend. But that time was not needed. A wall of light glinted, blocking the bullet and saving Lysander's life once again. In retaliation, Lysander jabbed his spear forward, striking into Prompto's shoulder.

The blond shot again, giving him time to then tear the spear from his shoulder. More crimson liquid dripped down and added to the already blood-stained ground. Even when Ignis cast another spell, for he had time to ready a powerful one, most of it was deflected. A shred of the lightning attack hit Lysander and the green-haired man hissed in pain. As the tormented monster screeched in anguish, for the dragonoid creature landed another breath of light on the mass of forgotten souls, Noctis felt a shred of hope returned. Lysander could be damaged, and if he could be damaged, he could be killed.

Noctis' friends kept Lysander distracted, giving their all despite the wounds they were slowly collecting. The Underworld would not be having their souls just yet. Adding to the assault, Noctis used his teleportion ability to move not him, but rather his sword to the far side of Lysander. Noticing the attack, Lysander swivelled to defend and was surprised to see no person behind the blade. It was just what Noctis needed. Moving as soon as he sent his sword as a feint attack, Noctis teleported himself just above Lysander. Falling towards the ground, Noctis summoned, not his sword, but Gladiolus' axe for temporary use, since using multiple weapons was once again well within his capabilities. Lysander, having to still deflect away Noctis' sword, did not notice the attack that loomed above him...

Until the axe cleaved clean through his body.

Noctis released the axe and rolled away as soon as he tumbled to the ground. Without even blinking, he summoned his sword back into his grip and brought it around for another attack, but no more was needed. Lysander's body slumped to the blood-stained land, no more motion coming from him beyond that.

Panting hard, Noctis stared at the body before him, his sword falling back down. A sigh to release all the tension that had built up inside him escaped the Prince as he collapsed back onto the ground, no longer able to stay on his feet. Wails filled the air, ruining the moment Noctis had for recuperation. Lysander's body exploded into orbs of light with trails of mist. Each drifted away, some delving back into the ground as quickly as possible, others floating off over the tormented landscape, and some rose to join the quieting storm overhead.

Gladiolus limped forward and picked up his axe. “Huh... That was good and all, but would have been a little nicer had you been able to give me a warning before stealing my weapon.”

Noctis could only give his friend a flat stare. After all they had just been through,  _ that _ had been the first thing on the scarred friend's mind? Sighing heavily, the Prince opened his mouth to come back with some witty or sarcastic remark in return when a new ear-splitting cry filled the air.

Clamping his hands over his ears, Noctis craned his neck around to see the origin of the cries. The tormented monster writhed in agony. Though previously unrelenting in its attacks, the pale dragonoid creature backed away from the fiend for even it knew what was occurring was unnatural. Screeching endlessly, the monster flailed against its constricting chains, weakening them until they completely shattered. It lashed its hands out mindlessly in the air, not at all caring about its foe that continued to back away. Light swirled in towards its glowing eye, and to the others all over its body as well.

It grew larger as it devoured more and more souls, each crying out before never being heard again. Cracks split across its body, the light seeping out for it was no longer able to be contained. Fearing what was to come, Noctis dived for the ground, yelling at his friends to duck as well just before the fiend exploded.

There was a flash of light before darkness enveloped everything. The normal and foreign colours alike faded away into black. Jagged ground slipped out from under him, replaced with nothing. Storm clouds vanished from sight, leaving them in nothing but a void.

Noctis drifted through, almost having become used to the sensation of nothingness with all the times it had previously consumed him. Perhaps this time, at last, he should just let it take him. The Crystal had been restored, he had done his duty. While his people would still be struggling, they would pull through; he believed in their strength. Perhaps even now, if their Crystal remained gone, the cold war would even end. Surely that was better for everyone. And Lysander...he had been defeated before he had a chance to kill Etro. Their world would not be consumed by the Underworld, not yet anyway.

As much as Noctis finally felt like he could let go, a voice in the back of his mind would not let him slip away into the darkness. It called to him, no comprehensible words being said, but he could tell the voice wanted him not to give up. It comforted him, and guided him through the darkness as though it was leading him by his hand. Through the darkness he waded—was it up, or down? He had no way of knowing—his mind managing to become clearer with each second. No longer did the darkness feel so dark. A prickle of light in the distance shone through the murky shadows. The voice continued to guide him, and his friends, for he now felt their presences as well beside him. They continued towards the light until its warm glow washed over them. Noctis heard one distinguishable sentence from the voice before the light fully embraced him:

_ Well done, Noct. _

 


	24. Etro

Drifting. Falling. Noctis continued floating through what felt like thick air. The warmth embraced him, soothing all his weariness and fatigue. There was no more void of darkness. Only the endless bliss of light surrounded him. Noctis finally felt like he could relax. He wanted to remain here, in this endless light, with nothing but the presence of the Crystal on his mind. It provided him with comfort, knowing that, even after it was restored, their ancient guardian stayed with him. At the end of it all, in the place of eternal bliss and comfort, _she_ was with him.

His body pressed against something soft and warm. The scent that trickled up his nose was not of life, but of that shred of peace everyone desired to achieve. He breathed deeply in, savouring it. Moving his hands, he felt the soft dirt beneath him. It was not full of pain and torment like the last land that had been beneath his feet; no chaos plagued the perfect earth. Softer than any bed, he oddly enough no longer wanted to sleep, he wanted to remain awake to enjoy every moment.

Parting his eyes, Noctis stared up at the tall blades of grass that swayed in and out of his vision. They were seeding, ready to spread their bliss to calm the other lands. The gentle dance they moved to was caused from the welcoming breeze. It was only a slight chill to offset the warm rays of the sun that still hung above the horizon, making the environment perfect. Green and golden fields... If tales of the Underworld were true, then this was the resting place for those deemed worthy enough for entry. A faint smile touched his lips as he closed his eyes. He had never really thought that he would be granted passage here at the end of his days.

_No time for rest now. You need to get up._

Noctis groaned and rolled onto his side. Had a blanket been over him, he would have pulled it tighter around him and snuggled deeper into his pillows. He felt like a child, asking groggily for five more minutes of rest. It was silly, a part of him knew that, but he did not care. All he wanted was to remain in the bliss, and not ruin it.

_Noctis. Get up!_

Eyes snapped open and he bolted upright. Peering over the tall grass that nearly managed to still block his vision, Noctis searched for the source of the voice. There was nothing but the massive fields of the golden-green grass, glowing in the rays of the setting sun, and a line of blue water on the distant horizon. Unlike the lands before, everything was brighter and more saturated with colour. It was still not quite home, but it was comforting and welcoming...and felt better than home. Focusing back on what was immediately before him, he ran his hands over the top of the grass.

When he started to walk forward, his foot came into contact with something solid. A muffled groan met his ears. Peering down, the Prince saw his blond friend lying on the ground. Muttering some more, Prompto rubbed his eyes as though just having been woken from a deep sleep. Squinting, he stared up at Noctis, unable to fully focus.

“Why'd you have to wake me...?” he mumbled, slightly annoyed. “I was having such a good dream.” Noctis sighed and gave a quick apology before helping the blond up. As soon as he saw the view around them, an amazed sigh escaped him. Prompto rubbed his eyes again, this time in disbelief. “This place... It's...it's...”

“I know.” No single word was enough to describe the place. While it looked simple and meager, nothing really all that grand, it was the feel and aura of the location that made it so breath-taking. Observing it a moment more, Noctis breathed in deeply, trying to soak in as much as he could of the golden fields.

With a little more searching, they located Ignis and Gladiolus. Like Prompto and Noctis, the two of them were drawn in by the wonder of the place. “Is this really still the Underworld?” asked their scarred friend. An idea dawning on him, Gladiolus swiftly checked over his body. “Are we actually _dead_ now?”

“Maybe...” murmured Ignis. “There's no telling what that monster did to us when it exploded.” Sighing, he pulled off his glasses to clean them with the hem of his shirt. “If this truly is the field where the souls of heroes are allowed, then it may explain why we're here.”

“We're...heroes?” repeated Prompto. The blond was silent for a moment, mulling over the notion. “Cool!”

Gladiolus gave a flat stare and pointed out, “We're also _dead_ , Prompto.”

Grunting, Prompto pursed his lips together. “That does throw a wrench in things.” With a deep breath and a heavy sigh, Prompto placed his hands behind his head. “What...are we even meant to do when dead?” To figure out what to do when one was alive could be difficult enough, to now find their path in the Underworld seemed impossible. Perhaps they were just meant to drift through until they reached the end of whatever journey had been lain out before them, for Etro clearly had a plan for them.

“Over there, on the horizon.” Raising a hand, Noctis pointed off to the distance. Resting low, just above the line of green and gold made by the grass, and the ribbon of deep blue created from the ocean, were specs of white. They were too close to the ground, and too near to them to be clouds. Swaying in the breeze, they were a part of the same dance that the grass was in. Noctis stared at the shapes of white, wondering what they could be.

“So. What about them?”

The Prince looked back to his friends and shrugged. “Nothing much else for us to do while here, as far as I can tell. Won't hurt to check it out.” A light chorus of agreements met his reasoning. Further studying the swaying shapes of white would at least give them something to do.

Noctis flexed his fingers and moved to pick up his sword when he noticed that it was no where near him. None of their weapons were with them. He had a moment of panic when he then realized that no weapons were needed in the fields. It was safe. It was a protected haven. No monsters lurked in the grass. No tormented souls threatened to devour them. As they slowly trekked towards the white blobs on the horizon, there was no fear.

None of them felt the need to hurry. At last, time was no longer against them. Was time even here? With the sun still hanging over the horizon, everything did seem to be frozen. There was no past, and there was no future. Souls would come and souls would fade, but everything else would remain as it were, locked forever under the painted sky. No more pressure to hurry to regain the lost shards weighed down their shoulders. They were able to stroll through and enjoy the blades of grass that tickled their skin.

Though plenty of questions still plagued his mind, questions that would most likely never be answered, Noctis managed to toss them aside. There was no longer any need to worry about them. Such matters of the living were of no use when dead...assuming he and his friends truly were dead. He did feel lighter now, as though all his worries had been lifted from him. Noctis smiled. It felt good to have no more worries.

The ocean grew steadily closer, pushing away the line of green as they slipped through the fields. As it drew closer, so too did the shapes of white. Rather than swaying free, they actually billowed and sank back in the wind that blew by in gusts. Bound to a mast, they were restrained after all to the ship that waited in the water. A ship to where? What lay over the horizon? Noctis had always thought that the fields were the final resting place for the rewarded souls.

Warm grass slipped away, as did the brown earth from beneath their feet. Grains of white met their feet, allowing them to sink in slightly with each step as they moved across the sands. The tiny specs crunched and ground together under their weight. A low hum filled the air, caused by the winds that blew over the sands. That mixed with the lapping waves created the musical undertone to the serene place.

“Green fields... White shores... And beyond...” whispered Noctis, staring out over the horizon. It really was something one not needed to fear. “This is what Maero saw, back when he was able to let go of his duty that bound him to our world. Maybe this is where he'll end up at the end of his journey.”

A light laugh came from Prompto. “Guess that means he's a hero too, huh?”

Smiling, Noctis glanced to his friend and nodded. It gladdened him, to know that Maero was considered honourable enough to be allowed into the green and golden fields. It was not a sight everyone was allowed to see. After years of following his duty, even well into death, the soldier would finally be rewarded once his final journey was completed. Maybe they would see Maero again sooner than any of them expected.

Drawn from his thoughts, Noctis focused back on what had initially caught his attention: the white sails of the boat. Resting by the shores, a walkway led up to the deck of the ship. It was then they finally saw that the fields and beach were not completely void of the dead souls. Lined up neatly, around two-dozen or so souls proceeded onto the wooden ship. Noctis was surprised; he thought there would be more here. Despite how wonderful the resting land was, it did feel rather empty.

Curiosity pulling him, the Prince headed towards the line of people and joined the end. None paid him any heed. It was very different from the previous souls that they had encountered—those were drawn to the living friends by some morbid fascination. These souls, these heroes, did not so much as bat an eye in the direction of Noctis and his friends. Maybe it was because they really were dead now. If they were dead, then they were just like the others. There was nothing odd about them any more.

Noctis studied the graceful ship in front of them. Fine craftsmanship went into creating the low but wide vessel. In some places, the decorations on the top of the framework was so delicate Noctis was surprised that it did not break away in the breeze. From what he could see, there was no name anywhere on the side of the ship. A nameless ship taking them to an unknown location...for some reason, it did not fill him with unease or dread like it otherwise would have. He wanted to go and sail off to the beyond.

When his eyes fell on something that was not a part of the graceful ship itself, Noctis felt his throat tighten and his heart race. White hair danced on the breeze, making the sails behind seem gray and dull. A pure white dress, splashed with pale-blue accents, draped over her body, appearing smoother than the softest silk. With that crystal necklace that adorned her neck, Noctis could only think of one person.

“Niveus...” he breathed. She was here. He had found her again. Standing towards the prow, she looked down and her gaze met Noctis. Those crystal-blue eyes that shone in the light of the setting sun were...not quite the ones he had hoped to see. Something was different about them that he could not figure out. Still, his desire to talk to her, to apologize to her again and again overwhelmed any doubt that threatened to encroach in on his thoughts.

Rushing up the plank, he had to immediately slow back down or risked knocking into the other souls before him. With only enough breadth to allow for one person to walk up at a time, there was no way for Noctis to get up to the deck faster unless he pushed everyone off. That was not something he should do...though the thought of it was rather tempting.

He looked back up to the prow and saw the pale woman moving away. Hope left with her as she drifted off. “ _Niveus_ !” he shouted, gripping onto the rope railing of the walkway, his body itching to just jump over and scramble up the side of the ship to reach her. A frustrated sigh passed his pursed lips, wishing that the souls in front of him would move faster. “Niveus, _wait_!”

At what felt like a death's crawl, Noctis finally made it to the end of the walkway. Before he could take the final step onto the deck, he stopped, white fabric flowing into his vision. He smiled. He smiled so wide that his cheeks began to hurt. Unable to contain his happiness, Noctis dared cast his gaze up away from the planks he stood on, ready to pull her into an embrace. What to say first? How glad he was to see her again when he thought her gone forever, or apologizing for all the pain he had caused her? When he saw her face again, he felt a cold wave wash over him.

That look in her eye, it was akin to what he saw when they first met. The pale-blue eyes held warmth in them, but also a coldness. It was not a shiver from a frigged personality that chilled him, but rather a chill of the unknown. She knew who she was, there was not that confusion that had plagued her back when they first met, but as she gazed at him, her eyes weighing and measuring his worth, there was no recognition behind them.

There was no memory of his being behind her gaze.

Noctis swallowed. After all they had done, after all the new memories she had forged with them on their journey, she remembered naught. That could not be. Nothing could erase the memories that had formed deep within their hearts. And yet, she did not know who he was. The smile that parted his lips faded away. As he studied her more, he could only conclude one thing: despite her striking resemblance, this woman was _not_ Niveus.

“This is...interesting,” she muttered. Even her voice was not the same. It was deeper, with more gravitas behind her words. The not-Niveus tapped her hand under his chin, lifting up his face that had started to sink. Her gaze held his, eventually ending as a soft smile altered her expression. “The power of the fal'Cie still echoes on through the ages, now mingling with The Light.” Her soft hand that felt like liquid warmth on his skin sank down until it rested over his heart. “This... This is how it should have been. Perhaps you could have issued on a new era. But if you are here, then your journey is at an end.” She veiled her eyes, slipping away. “And so then is mine.”

Noctis tensed before he realized there was no more need for that. At the end of his travels, there was no reason to worry or fear any more. He looked over his shoulder to his friends that waited below at the bottom of the walkway. They waited to see what he would choose. Sighing, Noctis tried his hardest to shed all his worrisome burdens and took a step forward to the deck.

_No! Stop!_

A cry of surprised escaped Noctis. Hearing the voice so suddenly startled him, causing him to teeter back and forth on his one foot that still rested firmly on the walkway. Frantically whirling his arms around for balance, he managed to grab a hold of the railing, steadying himself. He panted hard, staring at the deck that rested only a few inches below his foot that threatened to touch it.

Not only had the voice startled him, but there had been something else that pulled him back. It had wrapped around him and tugged, doing all it could to keep him from setting foot onto the ship. Feeling uncertain, he brought his foot back onto the walkway and took a step back for precaution. He looked up to see the surprise on not-Niveus' face. She merely blinked once before smiling at him, a look of pride crossing her soft visage. Raising a hand, she let the simple gesture be her farewell to the Prince.

Despite the sadness that now tugged at his heart, he managed a weak smile, nodded to the pale woman, and started back down the walkway. Closing towards his friends, he gestured for them to move back. Together, they stepped off the walkway and returned to the white shores.

“Noct... What was all that about? Why aren't we going on the ship? Wasn't that Niveus?” asked Prompto.

Noctis only glanced to his friend, raised his eyebrows, and looked back to the ship. Once they were completely settled on the shore, the walkway to the ship was pulled up and onto the deck to be stowed away. The sails above caught the breeze and billowed out to their fullest, and the ship began to move. Slowly, it pulled away from the shore, leaving the friends behind as it headed for the horizon, fading into the distance as the light from the ever-setting sun embraced it.

“That wasn't Niveus,” Noctis finally answered once the ship was completely gone from sight. “And that path...wasn't for us after all.”

“Then...what is?”

Noctis chuckled and laced his fingers behind his head. “Who knows. Let's just start walking and find out.” As they parted from the white shores and the endless sea, the Prince looked over his shoulder to where the ship had been. That journey was not one he was prepared for. Someday, he saw himself finally taking that ship and finding out where it led, but not today...

Not yet.

“You have travelled far, young ones,” said a voice that filled every inch of the air around them. “And yet you still wish to continue your journey? How honourable and admiring.” The voice drifted around until it coalesced at one single point. There, from where the voice now called them, the air grew hazy. Ribbons of light flowed past them to the center of the voice. Off in the distance, bells tolled. They were not powerful and deafening like when the Gates open, but soft and welcoming. The tolling filled the air, causing the haze before them to become opaque light. The mass of energy swirled together, morphing and changing until it formed the familiar shape of a body.

Taller than any of them, by over double, the shape of light grew brighter and brighter until it all broke away and left a woman standing in its place. Majestic clothes of dusk draped over her body of pure sunset. Her hair of twilight cascaded down her back, fading off into glowing gems that drifted off and joined the rays from the setting sun. The Light itself adorned her like jewelry, glinting brightly. And her eyes...those eyes that Noctis could not stare away from, were distant suns.

Any illustrations or recreations they had seen of her were nothing like what stood before them. The ability to capture her true radiance and beauty was not possible for mortal hands. When Noctis stared at her, bathed in The Light...he no longer feared it. He could see it for a blessing rather than a curse. No longer did it mock him. It was beautiful and shone rays of hope into the darkness of the unknown, not haunting and caused him only to think of all those who had died.

“Goddess Etro...” breathed the Prince, taking a step forward into the grass. The reality of who he was staring at sank in and he nearly tumbled forward as he moved to kneel. Rustling of grass filled the air as his friends scrambled to do the same. Only a few legends ever spoke of great heroes being honoured by being in her presence. And now they witnessed her with their own eyes.

“Please. Please rise. There is no need for such a display.” Noctis' body shivered when he felt a hand touch him on his shoulder. When he rose, Etro stood back in her original place. There was a smile in her eyes, one that erased any fear, but still managed to make the Prince extremely nervous and shy. How was he supposed to act in front of a Goddess? All his upbringing had prepared him for was royalty and politicians, never the deity of the Underworld.

“Goddess Etro, what are you doing here?” questioned Ignis.

The tall Etro glanced to the bespectacled man. Even Ignis shied away under her direct gaze. “This is my domain. I am everywhere. However, I have been keeping an eye since you entered my realm. It is not ever day, not even every hundred years, one of the living, let alone a small group, ventures into the Underworld. And yet here you are, stopping the one who sought to bring me harm.” She bowed her head. “You each have my thanks.”

“F-forgive me, but why did you not just stop him yourself?” asked Gladiolus, his voice wavering.

The Goddess' expression became grim. “I would had I been able to do so. But I am unable to use my power over the living, even when they are in my realm, nor can I control how they wield The Light. It is that same restriction that helped to bring about the downfall of the fal'Cie all those eons ago. While the Underworld is under my purview, so was the living world under protection of the fal'Cie. They guarded life, I watched over death. But mankind misused The Light, and destroyed all their guardians.”

Noctis felt the pain of guilt stab through him. They had only repeated the mistakes of the past without knowing. Destroying all the Crystals until only theirs remained. He blinked and looked back up to the Goddess, something not adding up with the histories he now knew. “But...what of our Crystals? Did not each of those have a fal'Cie behind them?”

Etro shook her head, her expression still grim yet a knowing smile tugged at her lips. “No. All the Crystals you knew, the gifts from the forgotten fal'Cie, were from only one guardian: Osana Lucia.” Her grim expression blinked away to be replaced by mild surprise. “Ah, I see that you have heard this name before. And, now, you have even met her.”

Breath quickening, Noctis looked back towards the ocean and the ship that had passed through the waters. He had spoken, or rather, had been spoke to, with Osana Lucia, the fal'Cie of Erebus. It made him feel a little happy, to know that even they came to the Underworld when their time alive ended, but still he was confused. Why had she looked so much like Niveus? The two of them could have been identical twins.

“Yes. The one you saw on the ship was Osana Lucia, the Light-Giver. Save for Chinoka, Nature's Mother, she was the last fal'Cie to live thanks to the remoteness of Erebus. But it was on that distant land that she met her end. She did all she could, yet the Trucido still brought her demise. Before Osana's end, however, she fragmented her Crystal and cast the pieces down to the world to hide, so that some day, she hoped, mankind would once again be able to use them, for thus was their purpose.

“These are the Crystals that your people know and fight over. They are shards from an echo of an age long passed. Each holds a fraction of the power that they once had when whole, but no more fal'Cie are connected to them.”

“Wh-what then of Niveus? Is she not a fal'Cie?”

“Niveus?” Etro pondered for a moment. “Ah, yes, the name you gave to the power that brought you here. Alas, she is not a fal'Cie, at least not a true one any more. When Osana broke her Crystal, part of her soul was sealed away inside of it. Whether this was intentional or not, she still will not yet tell me. Most of the shards held only a trace of this soul, thus enabling l'Cie to be chosen, but, _yours_... For whatever strings of fate were pulling at the time, yours contained most of Osana's soul that had been passed on. And, in danger, it manifested to defend itself, becoming the Niveus you know.

“Though still a part of Osana, Niveus, as you called her, is no longer the same as the Light-Giver. And still the fal'Cie lingers on the boat, awaiting the last of her soul before she may join her kin on the Hallowed Isles.” At that information, Noctis felt his throat tighten. He now felt selfish, wanting to keep their Crystal, keep Niveus, with them for the use of their home and people, rather than letting the last of the Crystals join the Underworld so that Osana may move on. It was no longer a matter of him wanting to let go of his burdens, but rather letting go of the ancient guardian that had always been there when he needed. It would be like losing a loved one...like losing his mother all over again.

“Do not trouble yourself over this, Prince Noctis,” came the soothing voice of Etro again. She gave him a reassuring smile. “It gladdens Osana to know that a part of her wish and efforts bore fruit; her Crystal is still helping those she once protected. This is more important to her than taking her final trip to the Hallowed Isles. So do not let it burden you with worry or sorrow.” The Goddess gave a final nod. “It is time for you to return to your world—souls of the living should not linger here for too long.”

“We're not dead?” blurted Prompto, not at all showing any manners towards the Goddess of the Underworld. “ _We're not dead_!” He jumped for joy, pumping a fist into the air in his excitement. It was only once his friends cleared their throats rather loudly did he realize his actions. Bashfully, more so than any of them had seen Prompto display before, their ecstatic friend held his hands behind his back and hung his head towards the Goddess. Very quiet, he mumbled an apology under his breath. It was just like watching a child getting scolded.

“You are not dead,” she reassured them. “Yet had you taken the ship beyond the horizon, then there would have been nothing I could have done for you. But, as you are now, I may open a passageway for you to take back to the world of the living.” Raising an arm, Etro swept it across, her sleeves of dusk trailing behind.

Where she gestured rested something that had not been there before: a gateway. It was unlike the Gates Niveus had opened to allow them passage to the Underworld, nor was it even like the gateway that connected Erebus to the rest of their world. This one was a tall archway. Instead of a doorway, a wall of light rested inside the archway. There were no intricate designs adorning the structure. There was just the light, and the knowledge of what lay beyond.

“There is one rule you must follow for you to be allowed to leave: none of you can look back. Should you gaze beyond the ocean again, even for a second, you will be trapped here and become as the other souls are. Even I cannot change that.”

When Noctis focused back to the Goddess, his mouth fell open. She was gone. Licking his lips, he dared not even glance to his friends beside him, lest the ocean return to his view. Keeping the archway centered in his sight, the Prince started for their way out. The sounds of more footsteps through the grass reassured him that his friends were still by his side.

“She was... She was _beautiful_...” swooned Prompto. “If all The Light looked like her, I'd sure wish to be able to see it.”

Noctis gave a wry chuckle, wanting to shoot his friend a smug glance before remembering that he could not look back. Even looking to his friend might be considered as such. “You want to see The Light? That can be easily arranged, y'know.”

“Uh-uh. No way. No near-death experiences for me, thank you! I've had quite enough of the Underworld now to be happy to wait until my end comes to see it again.”

“That can also be easily arranged,” added Gladiolus coyly.

“Yeah, well, you first if you don't make it outta here!” Laughing, Prompto rushed forward, now running towards the archway that neared. Gladiolus let out a competitive cry before chasing after the blond. Within moments, the two were at the archway and passed through.

Not having been caught up in their frivolities, Nocts and Ignis continued at a steady pace toward the archway. They were silent until they stood just before it.

“Is The Light really so bad? Something that you need fear so much?” asked Ignis, bringing Noctis to a halt. “Seeing this place...seeing Etro, I can't help but think it's actually...not so bad. People merely...misused it, as any power can be misused.”

The Prince glanced down. Since being here, he had started to think the same. “I'm not sure any more... I still don't like using it, for I never liked using it knowing that power came from all those that had lost their lives. While some of it now may be because of my connection to the Crystal, I think my fear...my dislike for it, will never go away.” In the end, it still reminded him of death, of the loss of his mother, and now the loss of the ancient fal'Cie. That was too much of a stigma on The Light for him to forget so easily. “But, now I know, at least, every time I see The Light, I need not think of it as bad.” He gave a weak smile, not knowing if Ignis saw or not. “It's a start.”

As Noctis looked up, he saw the backside of his friend before he slipped through the light of the archway. The Prince's smile faltered. With leaving this place, he felt like he was forgetting something, like a part of himself had been left behind. It called to him, asking him not to go just yet. Now he had been in the Underworld twice, and twice he was able to leave. Did he lose a little bit of himself each time? He wondered how many more chances he would get to live again before he remained in the Underworld eternally. Biting his lower lip, he started to turn his head slowly, just to check...

When a hand touching his cheek moved his gaze back towards the archway before he looked too far. Quickly, he clamped his own hand over the other, but felt only his own skin. There was no hand. It was impossible, he had _felt_ the touch on his face. So real... So soft. With a sigh, he let his arm fall back down. Real or not, it had helped him snap back to reality. Looking back meant he would be trapped. He could not let himself be trapped here. That day would come much too soon on its own.

The same hand slipped into his, squeezing gently. He smiled, and did not look down. Doing so would only reveal nothing, that he knew. But it was not what his eyes could see or not see that mattered. What mattered was what he felt in his heart. He squeezed the hand in return. Closing his eyes, he welcomed the voice that had been with him in the Underworld. At first, a part of him had thought it to be the Goddess Etro. That belief did not last long once he realized the truth of who was still with him. Softly, Niveus only said,

_Let's go home_.

 


	25. Home

“...And then we travelled back to Atherna, since it was closer and faster for us to reach on our own, where Captain Cid and engineer Valan agreed to fly us back to Lucis.” Noctis swallowed, his throat dry from talking continually for so long. The Councilmen stared at him, their expressions rather blank despite all they had just heard. The Prince tried to straighten, to keep his presence and rightful air of authority around him, but he was too weary to manage even that.

After they had returned home, the Crystal was immediately restored before anything else was allowed to happen. Lucis had actually been in better condition than they expected. Thanks to the efforts of the King and the Councilmen, negotiations had begun with their neighbours, ensuring the safety of their people despite the powers of Lucis dwindling away to nothing. There was even talk now of the cold war coming to an end. Noctis would only believe that when it happened, however, and did not let himself get caught up in the hope for the future he had dreamed of for so long.

When their Crystal was restored to its rightful home, the power had drained from Noctis, returning back to what it used to be before the remnant of the fal'Cie had shattered. The Crystal had hung there, silent once more. There was no more voice of Niveus with him to keep him company. Ever since leaving the Underworld, she had been quiet. No matter how much he called out to her, she would not respond. That new weight of sorrow and confusion added to his already weary state. Coupling on not being allowed to rest before giving his report made him feel like he was now going to fall asleep on his feet.

Noctis blinked his drowsiness away, keeping his gaze emotionless as long as he was pitted against the Councilmen. It was hard enough for him to believe all they had gone through, he did not want to think about how hard it would be for those who were not there to believe or even understand. The Prince could feel the gazes of the old men boring into him. It was always one matter he dreaded having to deal with whenever he took the throne: dealing with these men in the near-sterile room on a much more regular basis.

“That is quite the tale,” said the King after a moment of silence. With a sigh, he leaned forward and rested his chin against his laced fingers. “Almost impossible to comprehend. But our Crystal is restored, and Creon and his followers are dead. However, the Obruo and any other experiments may still be troubling. Since Moriens Valley is not part of our kingdom, we will have to enter further negotiations to see that they are not misused. The ones inside that factory can wait for now.”

“They should be destroyed!” called out one of the Councilmen.

“That would be a waste! Not only are they a part of history, they could be useful tools when used correctly.”

“ _ Tools _ ? From what I've heard, they are  _ weapons _ . These Obruo could wind up lengthening the cold war despite all our recent efforts, or very well turn it into a full-blown war.”

Voices rose as the Councilmen began to argue over the Obruo they had only heard of. Even the matter of what should be done about Erebus arose. Noctis closed his eyes and tried to block them out, hoping to keep the imposing headache at bay. Arguing. Was this all these men were good for? To think decisions that affected every single one of his people came from such arguments.

“Prince Noctis.” The strong voice of King Regis easily rose above the others, causing the Council Room to fall silent. “Is that all there is to your report?” Noctis looked up, barely able to keep eye contact with the King before lowering his gaze and nodding. That was all he had to say to the ruler of Lucis and the Councilmen about the events of the last several months. “Then you may be excused.” A sigh of relief was muffled as it escaped through his nose, the Prince trying to keep it from being to audible. “Wait outside for me. There are some personal matters I wish to discuss with you once I finish here.”

Holding back a groan, for Noctis simply wanted to rest now, he bowed low. “Certainly, my liege.” Shivers crawled up his spine as he turned his back on Regis and the Councilmen. Their gazes were always so judging. He would rather be back in the Underworld with the curious gazes of morbid fascination from the dead souls on him than be forced to deal with the Councilmen again soon.

Massive doors opened before him and the Prince took his leave of the sterile room that brought him nothing but discomfort. They closed behind him, sealing away his tension within. Burying his face behind his hands, Noctis found the nearest wall and leaned against it for support. How he just wanted to curl up on his bed now and rest. But he would not be allowed to find sleep just yet while the King yet wished to speak to him. A request from Regis was never one to cast aside.

To help keep himself awake, Noctis began to pace around, following the path he created of a loose circle. It would wobble, becoming more elliptical at some points, but always remained circular. When even that action began to lull him to sleep, the constant action being rhythmic to a point where it became counterproductive to what he desired, Noctis ceased and stood in place. He did not have to worry about falling asleep on his feet for long, for the doors finally opened to allow Regis through.

Noctis cleared his throat and bowed curtly to his father. Regis eyed him, the gaze not at all comforting. “Follow me.” Short and to the point, Regis' voice was firm in his command as always, even when it came it matters with his son. From all his years of upbringing, Noctis jumped to attention and fell into pace behind his father. They walked through the halls of the building, Regis' speed a bit faster than Noctis would have liked at that time. But still he kept in tow of the King.

Eventually, they wound up outside, but even then they did not stop. Noctis stared at the city around them, glad to see it was not in the ruined state he had feared to witness. People continued to live, and that was what mattered most to him.

“No guards?” asked Noctis, suddenly being assaulted by a unsuspecting yawn. Raising a hand, he quickly tried to mask it and was not at all successful. While Noctis did not enjoy having more people around him, for he had always been confident in his powers, to a fault, and did not feel he needed the extra protection flanking him while on his own, seeing the King without some sort of protection was a rare sight.

“Your powers are strong enough,” the King answered easily. “Plus, while I do not have the same abilities as you, I'm not a weak old man just yet.” Something akin to a laugh came from Regis. Noctis raised a hand to his ear, surprised to hear such a sound. When he looked to his father, the Prince had to rub his eyes and shake his head. He must be becoming delirious from his lack of sleep, for he just saw the King smirk, and the King  _ never _ smirked, let alone give an  _ amused _ smirk.

Falling silent, Noctis remained by the King's side. People that passed by and recognized who the two were immediately bowed before continuing on their way. The Prince could only manage numb nods in return. Even with the noise from the traffic, Noctis was still on the brink of sleep. How much farther did they have to walk? How could this be considered a personal matter to the King? The Prince only thinned his lips, never quite able to understand what inner workings went on behind his father's thoughts.

Startled to attention, Noctis backed up after nearly colliding with his father who had come to a stop. He stared at Regis who was focused on something in the distance. Noctis followed his father's gaze, and saw the top of the Crystal's Temple. It rested there, back in its proper home. This was where he had stood, what now felt like a lifetime ago, for a moment before racing towards that Temple in the Crystal's defence. He would do it all again in a heartbeat.

“There is a legend of the Crystal, passed down through the royal families for our ears only.” The King started slowly, his voice much calmer and quieter than Noctis ever remembered hearing it, yet it still could command the attention of a full room even now if needed. “It speaks of the soul of our Crystal, of the life within it. Even back when the other Crystals were in existence, our ancestors knew that ours was special, that it was  _ alive  _ in such a way that was different from the rest. It is that soul that decides to protect us, to continue to defend our kingdom and the lives within. And, in return, it is that soul we protect. It was never clear why ours was different, or where this soul came from—perhaps a being from an age long since passed. Whoever it is, it is said that she only showed herself to those she trusts the most during times of great need. This was something I would have told you when you were older, Noctis.” The Prince could not help but snort lightly at that remark. Even now, as old as he already was, his father still treated him like a child most of the time. “But you already know this now. You probably know more than any legend I would have passed down to you contained.”

Noctis gasped and looked to his father who still stared at the Temple, almost longingly. Unlike the Prince, Regis had not been chosen by the Crystal, he was not a Protector, not a l'Cie. All he knew of that life was what the legends and the tales from the Protectors told.

“The Crystal was with you on your journey. And not just metaphorically.”

Casting his gaze down, Noctis swallowed. It had been the discussion between him and his friends on the ride home, whether or not Niveus should be revealed.

 

_ “What will happen to our Crystal now?” asked Prompto. His gaze looked at them searchingly in turn, unable to hide the worry he felt. _

_“It'll be restored.” Gladiolus crossed his arms and huffed. “Simple.”_

_ A sigh came from the blond as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, no. I mean what will happen to  _ Niveus _? What will happen to her when we return home?” _

_“That's still simple! She's...she's part of the Crystal... A remnant of Osana...” Even their scarred friend still seemed to have a hard time wrapping his head around that notion. Unlike Noctis, none of them had seen her return to her true state with their own eyes. They only had Noctis' word to go by. “She'll be put back into place. That's that...”_

_“No. It's no longer so simple,” remarked Ignis. “Prompto is right to be concerned. The same concern for Niveus exists now as it did before: she may still be experimented on, our Crystal or not. They may seek to learn more about her and the fal'Cie that once existed.”_

_“Then we just...don't tell them,” stated Noctis. His raised his sight, daring his friends to challenge his opinion. “As far as the Councilmen are concerned, they need only know that our Crystal was restored and that the ancient fal'Cie are completely dead. They don't need to know of Niveus.” His thoughts drifted back to what Madame Akemi told of Niveus' future, how she had none. Though her time as Niveus had ended, he still vowed one thing: “We keep her future safe.”_

 

And so the plan was devised to erase Niveus from their accounts.

It was tricky. They had to make sure all their stories were the same before returning to Lucis, for they knew they would each be questioned separately. It was that factor that made it feel much more like an interrogation than a simple retelling of events. But the friends, and even Cid and Valan, for that matter, swore not to speak of Niveus. Other matters were left out as well as a result, like Chinoka and the people she still protected, and their entire discussion with the Goddess Etro.

Yet, here was Regis, able to take what had been altered and the knowledge he held, and was able to discern the truth to an extent. Noctis bit his bottom lip and cast his gaze down. Keeping secrets from his father, from the King, would not end well.

“Though the fal'Cie are long since dead, part of Osana lives on in our Crystal. It was her that was with us on our journey to collect the shards. Even when shattered, she still helped us, to the very depths of the Underworld itself.” Noctis still kept his gaze averted. It was the partial truth, and enough of it that it should satisfy the King.

It was selfish, much more so than he wanted to admit to himself, but Noctis wanted to keep the knowledge of Niveus between him, his friends, and those who had happened to cross paths with her. The Niveus he knew had been shaped by the experiences they had shared; and it was only those memories of the time spent together that now kept her alive. He did not want to share them, to share  _ her _ , with anyone else.

“Tell me, Noct, did you see  _ her _ while you were there in the Underworld?” Noctis stared at his father, not knowing which to attempt to comprehend first: why Regis would be interested in whether or not he saw Niveus in the Underworld, or why, all of a sudden, Regis called Nocts by his nickname. Noctis was only ever able to see Regis as the King. Sometimes he would refer to the man as his father, but that was more to save face when around many people. Regis never felt like a  _ dad _ to Noctis any more. In turn, Regis always called Noctis as Prince, his full name, rarely as son, but never by his nickname.

Pushing that aside, Noctis pondered over why Regis had asked about  _ her _ , about Niveus. Though the King now knew that part of Osana's soul had been with them, he still did not know of Niveus. There was no reason why he should be asking about her sighting in the Underworld. No reason, so why had he? Noctis furrowed his brow, unable to read his father's mask of a face. While the expression gave nothing away, Regis' eyes, upon closer inspection when he looked to his son, did betray his true feelings, his sorrow and his yearning.

It was then Noctis realized he had been completely mistaken in thinking that his father had been referring to Niveus.  _ She _ was the Queen of Lucis, Noctis' mother, Regis' wife.

“No,” answered Noctis. Of the many faces he remembers seeing in the Underworld, in any of the different places, his mother's had not been among them. He suddenly felt guilty when he saw the look of pain break past the King's mask for a second. While Noctis felt the grasp on the memories of his mother slowly fading away, his father did not suffer the same fate. It was clear from that single expression that the King of Lucis still loved his Queen, and held his memories of her close. “I didn't see her there.” The Prince bit his bottom lip, the thought of her somewhere in the tormented land with the tortured souls unsettling his stomach. But she had always been so kind, the likes of her did not deserve to be in such a place like that.

Regis placed a hand over his face. Noctis felt uncomfortable, it was strange to see his father so raw. Emotions were never on the King's sleeves for the rest of their kingdom or others to see. He always stayed strong, a rock of stability for those looking on. “I'm glad you're not in the Underworld, Noct.” Sighing to push away his uncontrolled emotions, Regis reached out and placed a steady hand on Noctis' shoulder. Unused to such a gesture from his father, the Prince nearly pulled away. Instead, he managed to accept his father's touch. “I wouldn't...” Regis even faltered with his words, another event that never occurred. “I don't know what I'd do if I lost you as well.”

Noctis felt his throat tighten. Ever since his mother's death, this was the first time his father showed so much concern for Noctis and his life. Nodding, he glanced down, no longer able to hold Regis' gaze with all the paternal feeling swelling behind those eyes. “Me too...dad...”

Regis' hand slipped from Noctis' shoulder, and his mask was put back up, suddenly seeming like he was standing three inches taller. “You need your rest now, Prince Noctis. Return home, sleep, and don't worry about anything tomorrow.” Before Noctis could even thank his father, a car came to a stop beside them with nothing more than a simple hand gesture from the King. The Prince smirked a little; of course his father would always have someone nearby.

As soon as Noctis got into the dark car and closed the door, he nearly fell asleep right on the seat. Regis did not join his son in the ride home. The driver was silent, letting nothing but the radio being the only noise to fill the vehicle. It was a news station, discussing the matter of the Crystal's restoration. Noctis tuned out the voices over the radio as he gazed out of the tinted window, savouring the sight of Lucis as he traversed its streets. It was safe, for now.

Noctis was quiet when he was dropped off at the old castle. Guards and others that also worked there greeted him, but he did not even nod in return. He weaved his way through the ornate halls, shutting off his phone as he went. He wanted rest, and no disturbances. When he entered his room, Noctis breathed out in content. He was finally home; now he could rest.

A loud yawn escaped him as he threw off his clothes, not caring at all about hanging them up neatly. They littered the floor in a rough line towards his bed. Rays of the setting sun (that would actually set) temporarily woke him up as he passed through them while sitting down on his bed. Light glinted up at him, reminding him of the one thing he still wore.

Niveus' necklace now hung from his neck rather than hers, normally remaining hidden under his clothes. The blue gem now looked like a lifeless stone, no longer carrying the pulsing light within like it used to hold. It saddened him, to see it like that, but it was still a part of her—the one physical piece he could keep with him that kept her close.

Noctis grasped the crystal of Niveus' necklace between his fingers. Holding it up to the window that let in the evening light, it glimmered in the dying rays of the sun, regaining some of its previous life-filled glow for a moment, even if it was merely an illusion. Staring at its simple beauty, he managed to smile.

“Can you hear me, Niveus...? Do you listen still?” He rotated the shard around, letting the light refract through it in different ways as he awaited a response. Even now, only silence met his calls. Despite that, he still had hope. Just because she could not answer him now did not mean she never would. “Thank you...” he whispered into his hand as he brought the shard back and let it hang from his neck once again. For all she had done, for all she would still do, he thanked her from the bottom of his heart.

His eyelids now felt like lead weights and he could no longer leave them open. With a deep sigh, he fell back against his bed, the mattress, pillows, and sheets feeling almost too soft for him now. Noctis welcomed the sleep that washed over him, for it was in those distant lands of dreams that he knew he would be able to see her again. Even if it was just a manifestation of his memories that lasted but for a fleeting moment that somehow felt like a lifetime, he would be happy as long as she was there.

For Noctis would never forget the time he had spent with the soul behind their Crystal—the time he had spent with Niveus.

 

FINEM

 


	26. Alternate Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bonus chapter that mirrored a one-shot I wrote for Noctis and Niveus before I started this whole story. This is simply a "what if" and has no connection to my sequel to Lux Crystallis, Aeternus Somnus.

 Despite all the people present, Noctis felt quite alone. The party attendees, for it was King Regis' birthday celebration, all mingled among themselves. Politicians and those from noble families, who called Lucis and elsewhere their home, were the guests. Noctis groaned inwardly. They were always his least favourite of people to deal with, and yet it was always who he had to primarily meet. Having been born into this life was not as great as others always made it out to be. It was often boring, tedious, and so...lonely.

For those reason, it was largely why he always enjoyed being a Protector, being a l'Cie. His duties to the Crystal gave him something else to do, something else to look forward to during his long days. Their ancient guardian provided him with an escape to his otherwise imprisoned life.

“Yo, Noct!” called out a cheery voice, rising easily above the light din of chatter the other guests created. Raising his head, the Prince scanned the crowd for the source of the chipper voice, soon spotting his friend Prompto coming towards him. The other guests glanced momentarily to the blond, seeming annoyed by his not-so-inside voice that he had used...and used rather often. Though not royalty or nobility at all, Prompto was frequently invited to such events by Noctis. The Prince could somewhat stand being at the gatherings as long as his friends were there.

Bringing a hand up, Noctis waved at Prompto and Gladiolus who was trailing beside the blond. Prompto's cheeks were redder than usual, and the Prince knew that his friend had finished several more drinks since their last conversation. That may have also attributed to the loudness of his greeting.

“What're you doin' all alone over here  _again_ ?” asked Prompto, poking Noctis in his chest. The Prince grunted lightly, for the action had been more painful than he expected, and he rubbed the sore area. “Why do you even bother  _coming_ to these things if you don't  _do_ anything?”

“I do stuff!” Noctis huffed back in defence.

Prompto threw up his hands, spilling a little of his drink in the process. “All right, all right. Why don't you do something  _else_ other than stand around here being all anti-social?”

The Prince only thinned his lips at his friend's comment. Prompto was right, only he did not want to admit it. Instead, he cut his losses and switched his attention to Gladiolus, who had been remaining silently amused. “Enjoying yourself so far?”

Their scarred friend nodded. “Yeah, but I gotta head out now. My shift guarding starts soon.”

“Running away, are ya? I didn't think you were scared of people too!” Prompto then hiccuped. Noctis could only blink at his blond friend before sniggering. Seemed like Prompto had been having a few more drinks than he first assumed. “You're all  _chicken_ !”

That caused Gladiolus to bark a laugh, quickly clamping a hand over his mouth so it would not disturb the other guests. “This coming from the guy that get all tongue-tied over a girl that tickles his fancies?”

Cheeks already red, they grew even redder as Prompto shoved Gladiolus. “Shut up!” he hissed. “Y-you don't know what you're talking about!”

“Oh, so you mean you weren't fawning over that brunette? Making goo-goo eyes and failing completely at working up the courage to talk to her? Great first impression you made on her, spilling a drink and stepping on her foot. Cheek still sore from that slap?”

Noctis threw his head back and laughed. It saddened him that he missed witnessing that event himself. Hearing about it could only do so much.

“At least she won't forget me...” mumbled Prompto.

“Yeah, and trust me, that  _won't_ be working in your favour.” Gladiolus tossed his head towards the exit. “C'mon, you're done here tonight.”

“Really?” Prompto pouted rather than argue.

“Yeah. Best for you to cut your losses.” With a sigh, Gladiolus clapped a firm hand on Prompto's back. The gesture nearly caused the blond to tumble forward in his current state, making Noctis only snigger some more. He never admitted it too much, in fact, never, but he really did enjoy having them as his friends. “What about you, Noct? You have enough of this place yet?”

Sighing, for he truly did want to go, Noctis shook his head to decline. “No. It's best for me to stay for a while longer for my father's sake. Take care on your shift.”

“All right. Don't go partying yourself out!” Noctis only laughed sarcastically at Gladiolus' remark before waving farewell. As he and the blond took their leave, Prompto was trying rather hard to get Gladiolus to have something to drink. Their scarred friend had to continually decline until they were close enough to the door that he could headlock the blond without ruining the peace of the party.

Chuckling under his breath, Noctis only shook his head. Sometimes he could hardly believe he  _was_ friends with them. Speaking of friends, Noctis went off in search of his bespectacled one. He made no attempt to pause his search in order to talk to the guests. Some moved as though to intercept him and strike up a conversation, but he was quick to detour himself around various groups until he spotted Ignis. A soft sigh escaped the Prince. Of course Ignis would be the one of them who was capable of casually talking to a group of guests.

“What is this? You're  _interacting_ with people?” asked Noctis softly and sarcastically once he forced a smile to the group of people and took Ignis away once a break in their conversation came up. Though he did not want to join in any of the chatter, he was not going to act unnecessarily rude. That would not bode well for him, his family, or his home.

“Well,  _someone_ has to do your job if you're not going to,” retorted Ignis coolly, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

“Ah, so you want to be Prince? Sounds good to me. Let's switch.” As much as Noctis joked about it with his friend, he was just as serious whenever he brought up the idea. He would be all too happy to drop his responsibilities as royalty. Leaving behind his care for the people of Lucis was impossible, but there were other ways for him to still be of help other than that just being an heir to the throne.

Ignis only gave a light snort of a laugh. “Always much easier said than done, My Prince.” The bespectacled friend arched an eyebrow to Noctis. “Have you even  _spoken_ to anyone else while here?”

“I did my rounds,” huffed Noctis, tugging at the sleeves of his suit. Though he did not like it, he still made sure to do his duties. Minimally, but he still did them.

“And by doing your rounds, do you mean just greet everyone before moving on so you can stand quietly by yourself as soon as possible?

“Dammit...” Noctis huffed lightly. His friends really could predict his actions too easily sometimes...rather most of the times.

A chuckle came from Ignis. “Talk to people, Noct. This is a good time to get to know our neighbours better.”

“I already know about them.” The Prince waved his hand to dismiss the matter.

“You know data and statistics. This would be a good time to get to know the  _people_ .”

Noctis could not help but scoff. He eyed the other guests almost disdainfully. While he did not always enjoy being around people, he rarely loathed it, but this was one of those times that he did. “These aren't the real people of the other kingdoms. These are dressed-up, overly glamoured, selectively up-brought individuals that work like an entity of their own. I wouldn't get to know our true neighbours through these people that have been trained to all act alike.” Noctis ended with a frustrated sigh. Pursing his lips together, he glanced to Ignis, and grew confused. “What?” he asked warily, his brow knotting together.

“You...” Ignis shook his head lightly. “You just don't put such a fine point on things. That sounded so... _right_ , but  _odd_ to hear from you.”

Noctis tried to hold back a smirk. “Well, gotta find some ways to surprise you.”

“Either way, you should talk to the guests. Now that the cold war is over, we should start to make friends with the other kingdoms, their true people or not. Who knows, you might actually have a good time.”

With a sigh, the Prince grudgingly nodded. He was glad that the cold war had ended. Ever since he could remember, that was what he wanted. Now that it was achieved, he was not so sure what to strive for. Perhaps forming better relationships with their neighbours was a good enough place to start. Ignis patted Noctis on the shoulder before taking his leave. Unlike the Prince, he never shied away from his duties.

Biting on the inside of his cheek, Noctis eyed the guests. He did not really want to talk to them, but if he had to...he would. Delaying the inevitable for as long as he could, he searched the groups and tried to decide which would be best to join for mingling. Maybe he should get a drink first instead. If he was going to talk, some liquid would be a good idea...plus it would keep him from talking to anyone else for just a few moments more. When he started towards the bar that had been set up, something on the other side of the room caught his attention.

A glimpse of white.

While white itself was not an uncommon sight at the party, several woman were dressed in it, but this one had looked so...pure. Abandoning the idea of getting a drink, and even talking to other people, Noctis weaved his way through the guests to where he spotted the flash of white. When he got to where he had seen it, there was no sign of the person he thought he saw. Sighing in annoyance, he looked around, when he saw the white again, this time closer to the exit.

Nearly running, he headed towards to the exit, seeking to catch up with the person and hope that it was not just a figment of his imagination. The glimpse of white exited the designated room for the party, and he automatically followed.

He weaved his way through the halls, following the ghost of glimpses he saw of the white. Eventually, he slowed, the hope that it was actually her slipping away. It had been a couple years now since he had been in the Underworld and the last time Niveus spoke to him. Granted, he had seen her in his dreams, but those had just been dreams, nothing more. Never had he heard her gain. Never had he even seen her again. The Crystal's presence was still with him...but that was not the Niveus he knew.

Sighing, Noctis rested his head against the last door that separated him from his pale ghost, his hand grazing over the handle. What were even the chances of it being her that he saw? He had to live in reality, not the dream world where he could believe that he would see her again. If she were able to show herself, surely she would have done so already.

With a shake of his head, Noctis tore himself away from the door. He should return to the party, that was where he was required to be, after all. And yet...

His hand slipped up to his chest where the necklace still hanged. It remained under his black dress shirt, hidden from all the other eyes, yet as close to him as it could be. It would not hurt to check... He had already come this far, after all. Gripping the necklace for reassurance, Noctis turned around on his heel and swung open the door much more forcefully than he normally would have.

Cool night air swept over him. A strong gust of wind whipped around him, tossing his clothes and hair up on the evening breeze, catching him by surprise for he had forgotten the door had led out to a balcony. Squinting his eyes against it, Noctis closed the door behind him before smoothing out his clothes and hair. Huffing lightly when he finished, Noctis finally looked up and felt his heart rate quicken.

From the back, at least, he could allow himself to think it was her. That white hair, those white clothes, that pale skin. As much as he wanted to believe, Noctis shook his head to erase such thoughts. Raising his hopes only to have them shot down in a second would serve him no purpose.

“E-excuse me,” he started with a slight stutter, still trying to calm his emotions. Walking forward, he still kept a tentative distance from the woman. “I don't mean to bother you... But... But are you...”

He could not finish.

The conflicting emotions and feelings he had been trying to hold back rushed through him unchecked.

His heart raced. He had to take in a deep breath of night air to help keep his body cool from the sudden blood rushing through his veins.

All due to those pale eyes that no longer scared him.

Niveus.

No mistake about it, she  _was_ here.

A smile touched the the pale woman's lips. Noctis could only stare at her, flabbergasted and shocked at the sight of her. Despite wanting to rush to her, to pull her into his arms and welcome her properly, Noctis remained where he stood. For now, he just wanted to wait to see that she really would remain, and not fade away into the night like some dream.

“Good evening,” she greeted, curtsying lightly. “Noct...” When she looked back up, there was laughter behind her eyes. Just hearing her actually say his name again caused his chest to swell with joy. At last, his shocked expression melted into a smile. She gestured to the empty air above them. “Have you come to watch the night sky?”

Noctis said nothing. How could he when his voice had left him. Instead, all he did was manage to make his legs move again. Reaching her side, he rested his arms on the cool railing before gazing up. A few lights twinkled through the night sky, along with that large glow of the moon that was beginning to wane. It was not that sight that made him happy, but rather who he now shared it with.

Glancing to Niveus, he watched her as she studied the night sky as they had on the mountain top all those many nights ago. Finally, she noticed his lingering gaze and switched her attention back to Noctis. Though still smiling, she raised her eyebrows in question and opened her mouth to ask a question...but no sound could come out.

Noctis had leaned in and erased the remaining distance between them, wanting to keep her as close to him as he could and never lose her again.


End file.
